Overcoming (A Pokemon story)
by Mk2 Lunan
Summary: Alina goes through a Pokemon run world, born with a birth defect she has to deal with discrimination and where it leads her. Please leave feedback and remember it is a WIP.
1. Preface and Childhood

**Preface**

This is a story set in world where Pokemon live without humans. Though on the surface it looks like it's about Pokemon I am just using the preset creatures as a basis for allowing a fantasy plot to unfold. Little to no knowledge of Pokemon is needed for reading the story and it can be understood without much trouble. Enjoy.

 **Childhood**

The sun streaked through the thin vines covering the mouth of the small inlet and fell onto the head of a small sleeping Absol. The she-pokemon stirred and yawned as large as her mouth would allow, slowly blinking away the feelings of the night. A gust of wind blew through the hollow and the vines shifted, letting light shine right into the small creature's eyes. She quickly turned away and peeked out at the world once again to see a small Vulpix sleeping next to an Eevee, the six tailed pokemon's inner flame keeping the both of them warm.

She straightened and rested on her back paws, sitting upright and swishing her abnormal white and fluffy tails back and forth. She looked back out to the sunlit grove which she knew to be her home and watched as the guild grounds began to stir. Master Calis circled the clearing at the line where the ground met the grassy hill beyond. Pine needles crackled under her feet as the Liepard daintily padded across the clearing towards the Absol's den and called out,

"It's time for you to begin your training little ones," she meowed from outside. The Eevee's ears twitched and as she rose up the Vulpix shifted, yawning tiredly. Ignoring her denmates, the small Absol padded slowly out into the warm early morning sun, emerging onto the rock in front of the sleeping grounds. Alina watched, through blue eyes, the waking of the world. All different kinds of Pokemon began to fill the clearing, greeting each other as they passed. Some climbed down from the trees, carrying Oran berries and apples which they set on the icy stone in the middle of the clearing. An Aipom swung by its tail and dropped onto the ground next to Travix, the Swellow who was pecking at an apple and a group of Leppa berries. The sound of chatter began to rise from the feeding grounds as the food on the rock slowly dispersed and was spread around the members of the guild. The morning meal commenced for the adventurers.

"Hello Master Calis," Chirped Alina, who was now feeling slightly more awake as she padded down to sit in front of her mentor. "Where's Master Sakor? Is he going to come with us today?" The two other apprentices padded down, sleepily chatting with one another as they came and sat side by side next to Alina. Her brother sat directly next to her, the Vulpix, who was a dull orange color, not unlike rust, and his fluffy curled tail rested on the ground next to hers.

He shifted his weight and bumped her with his shoulder, not painfully but enough to knock her sideways causing her to shift. Alina scowled and shifted her gaze past him to see Kori looking worriedly at them, flicking her ears before looking back at Master Calis innocently. The siblings straightened and looked back to their mentor only to be met with an exasperated sigh and a flick of her tail.

"Yes he will indeed be coming with us, but not until after we have begun the lesson," said Calis as she stood up and turned to walk across the clearing. "There is much to be done."

The small pokemon ran to catch up with their Master, their little legs moving quickly to keep time with Calis's longer strides. As they crossed the clearing full of Pokemon they passed Arita the Arcanine as well as the messenger Pokemon, an Altaria named Sivant, who was accompanied by a Floatzel and an Aipom. Business was going as usual, as the guildmaster stood on the pinnacle rock, overlooking the whole scene with an air of tranquility.

Alina stumbled to the side to avoid a large Oran berry which was sitting in the path and would have been trouble for her to step over. As she veered to the side she came to a small puddle which she happily padded through, the long hair on her belly brushing the water and dampening slightly as she went. Playfully she kicked water backwards at her brother who had decided to go around the wet patch. He dodged to the side and growled in return, the water raining down only inches from the tail of a Zigzagoon, who looked angrily in Ren's direction. The Zigzagoon's expression softened however at the sight of Ren, as he tried to point at his sister who was already running ahead of Master Calis and into the tall grass beyond.

The four pokemon wound their way up the path through the trees, the smaller creatures darting in and out of the tall grass around Calis as she padded her way along the well trodden path to an unknown destination. Ren body slammed Alina in a playful yet quite rough way and she fell sideways into the tall grass. Alina thought to herself as she walked through the grass about her brother. She wasn't particularly fond of him to be completely honest. In fact one might say she didn't like him at all. This morning he yawned so idiotically she would have been quite happy to have shoved some of the moss he slept on into his little chompers. But then again, maybe that was just because they were siblings.

She hadn't asked to be born different from other Absols but people still talked about her behind her back. She knew that just as well as anyone else. Her brother had it so easy. He had been born like any normal Vulpix, with six tails and orangey fur. She kicked at a pebble with her black claws, just thinking about the infuriatingly curly hair on his head. Her mother was a Ninetales and her father was an Absol which normally wouldn't pose a problem, but she had been born differently. Her parents accepted her but nearly everyone else treated her as if there was something quite wrong with her. _Which there definitely isn't_ she thought to herself. There was nothing different about her other than her appearance, she figured, she was just the same as any other she-Pokemon as far as she could tell.

She thought back to when she and her brother tried to apply to become apprentice adventurers. Her brother wanted to become a full fledged adventurer and become the richest Pokemon in the world. This seemed like a pretty boring aspiration to her, but she had aspirations of her own. She wanted to bring adventure to new lands and become a guildmaster. Maybe even a guildmaster, she thought wistfully, of a very strong guild which would accept her as she was. When they applied however the Zigzagoon who handles recruitments turned her away. Her mother had asked why her brother had been accepted without question but Alina had not been admitted. He wouldn't admit he had stopped her entry based on appearance and, in a way, was forced to accept her as well thanks to the Ninetales' pressure.

That was the first time Alina had really experienced the segregation due to her being different. Not a whole lot was different about her when you really looked. She was only missing one dark spot on her forehead, had bright blue eyes, and two more tails than usual, which happened to be white and fluffy. Tears welled in her eyes as she flicked her tails back and forth in the tall grass, hidden from the image of her brother and Kori playing happily.

She started to try and think happily, knowing that her brother would tease her if he saw her in this state. _In the end_ , she thought, _I was accepted and I AM going to become a guildmaster someday._ The weight on her chest eased slightly and she bounced into the two other small pokemon, playing as if nothing was wrong until she had completely forgotten all about being different.

The ground was soft and wet, making for easy footing as the three friends played in the grass. The playing eventually turned into whining however, when the journey seemed to be unending. Calis ignored the complaints calmly and when the top of a massive tree poked up into the sky the trio looked up in wonder.

A clearing of trees was surrounded by stalls and buildings which were run by other pokemon of all shapes and sizes.

"This is Muraha, the guilds' town center which is used not only by our guild but also all of the other guilds in the area," said Calis in a voice only a mentor knows how to use quite correctly.

Strong looking Pokemon from other guilds walked happily about conversing with one another and mingling around the town's center. Shops formed an inner circle to the town surrounding the outside of a massive willow tree which grew high into the air and stretched its long drooping leaves over the entire town providing a comfortable shade from the hot sun which was quickly rising in the sky, baking the earth below.

Muraha was the town which was the center of all local guild activity. Anyone could go there to store belongings or buy new ones from the shops there. Emergency care could also be found there and anyone who was lost could find their way to the town to gain their bearings. Muraha was a safe haven for all adventurers, apprentices, rogues, and guild masters alike. Though there were shady pokemon that lurked there it was unusual to see anything questionable actually happen due to the Heracross which were the peacekeepers of the town.

The Liepard padded to the storage building on the outer ring of the town which had been built by the local Timburr and was speaking with the Xatu behind the counter, as the apprentices looked about in wonder.

"Can I take out two Pecha berries and a quick claw please?" She meowed. The Xatu shuffled around for a while and then presented two berries and a claw on a necklace which looked sharp and off white, as if made of bone or, as Alina put it upon noticing it, made of cloud.

"Sure can miss…" he paused, "miss...ummm...miss..." His wings began to flutter nervously.

"Calis," she said politely, helping him find the name.

"Yes that's the one," he chirped happily. "By the way miss Calis that was the last of the Pecha berries you have in your guild's storage. Anything else I can do for you today?" He fluttered about while standing and waiting for a reply.

"No thank you that will be it for now, and thank you for reminding me about the Pecha berries. Have a splendid day," she replied before slipping it into the satchel she carried and walking away, little ones in tow. She didn't make it far however before Ren jumped up beside her and began barraging her with questions.

"What are those for? What are we doing with them? What do they do? What is that claw? What _are_ those for?" She cut him off with a swift flick of her tail as it caught him between his small ears on the back of his head.

"You will see," she meowed teasingly and continued walking. The group had nearly traveled across the entire town circle, still gazing, before they turned off into the more dense forest no longer following a path. Ren pounced on Kori knocking the shy Eevee over onto the ground but before she could react he had dashed off and was onto Alina. He laughed happily as the two of them tumbled for a minute before ending up in a bush and becoming hesitant due to the thorny thicket that surrounded them. Alina felt a sharp pain in her side but ignored it and growled playfully at her brother. Quickly but carefully the two of them ran back out of the briars, called a silent truce, and returned to Kori's side as they resumed padding towards wherever Master Calis was leading them.

The Liepard slowly came to a halt and used her paw to create an opening in the thorny branches which were a part of a hedge just taller than she was. The three apprentices walked gingerly through the opening and it closed with a crunch behind them. The soft sound of paws hitting the grass coming shortly afterwards. A tree grew in the middle of a circle made of thickets with large flat faced rocks scattered about. Most rocks had slanting faces leaning towards the tree in the center while a few were just jagged and only flat on top. Shorter grass coated the floor of the training area which was soft to the touch but also a bit wet with the morning dew where the sade of the tree still fell. When Calis saw that all of the smaller pokemon were through and unharmed she began talking to them.

"This is going to be a little bit different from what you are used to but should be helpful for you nonetheless." This invoked an excited murmur from Alina to Kori as her tail twitched with anticipation. "The attribute focused on today will be agility. As every pokemon knows, you need speed and mobility in order to navigate terrain as well as evade other pokemon's attacks. You will be playing a game of tag in a way, however one of you will have a quick claw which will make your reaction time faster. The person being chased will have the item while the others chase him or her down using the rocks and tree in order to move tactically. Whoever is able to tag the person with the claw is the next person who is it. Whoever ends with the claw will receive extra dinner so don't think about slacking!" She meowed sharply, looking at Ren in particular, though he hardly noticed.

"When I say go I will toss the claw into the air and the session will begin. Ready?" She asked as the apprentices tensed, spacing themselves slightly and getting into a crouching position, prepared to jump.

"Go!" She shouted, and the claw was tossed up into the air. It flew up between the branches of the tree and as the smaller pokemon waited for it to fall, multiple seconds passed. The sound of something tapping against bark resonated through the tense and silent grounds. Alina was the first to react as she bounded as quickly as possible to the base of the tree and launched herself up it, scrabbling at the bark and falling a couple feet short of the first branch.

The claw hung from a branch in the tree, swinging and bouncing off of the trunk in the soft forest breeze, taunting the apprentices. Kori and Ren darted towards the tree, scrambling at the sides until they fell back to the ground, having also come up short of the first branch. The three of them quickly dashed back and tried again, from farther back the second, third, fourth, and fifth times. With each attempt they stayed the same distance, if not farther from the lowest hanging limb.

Calis purred happily as she watched the small pokemon scramble up the side of the tree, noting the cleanly chopped branches which would have made it easy if they had not been altered to accommodate the training which was done there. She jumped gracefully onto a rock and as she did so she meowed loudly enough for all of the apprentices to hear her. Even the Vulpix who was upside down on the ground at the base of the tree took note and looked over curiously. She nodded slightly, indicating the rock below her and sat up straight again, flicking her tail to show they should continue.

Both Ren and Kori began running back around and dashing at the tree again, Kori watching what Ren did and, trying to do just as well as her slightly larger and more able friend, she copied him, not doubting his tactics. Alina on the other hand looked at Master Calis again and saw her smiling amusedly before diverting her attention to the small Absol. A puzzled look crossed Alina's face as she pondered her master's strange action.

Slowly she noticed the flat faces of the rocks and how they angled towards the tree. In her mind she remembered Master Calis's words saying that not only the tree but also the rocks were to be used for movement and agility. Alina quickly backed up to the tree and took off at full pelt towards the rock. She ran up the steep slope and spun around as she jumped upwards towards the tree branch which hung slightly higher than the lowest but was closer to her. As she jumped she noticed she felt a little more sluggish than normal but she managed to reach out and touch the branch before leaving claw marks on the bark and falling down to the grass below, landing on all fours in a crouch.

Once again she backed up to the tree, only to watch Ren take off into the air and reach the branches above. He clambered up and raced off down the branch towards the claw which hung in the tangled foliage. She scrambled towards the rock and launched herself with all her might into the branches above, coming to a rough landing on the bark. Turning she also raced into the tree branches which wound before her. Above her Ren was scrambling up the wood, jumping from one branch to another before leaping and grabbing the claw in his mouth, tearing it from the branch from which it hung. He lept onto the lower branches in the tree and was gone, down to the lush grass below. He began running from Kori who had saved her energy by not bothering to try and launch herself into the foliage.

Alina pushed heavily as she began running again, moving as fast as she could. She thought unhappily to herself that she felt unusually fatigued and she was driven by frustration with her own inability. She launched herself to a branch below, but lost her footing and fell roughly onto the ground below her. She coughed once before staggering up and falling over again. Breathing quite heavily she called softly for Calis who was already standing over her, a pecha berry in her mouth and the others by her side.

"Alina when did you fall in a bush? I forgot to mention the bushes in the area had a couple of poisonous thorns scattered in between the normal ones but I thought nothing of it since you all stayed out of them as far as I know!" She stopped talking and nudged the berry closer to Alina who looked at it in pain. "I brought Pecha berries just in case. This should stop the poison, I am quite sorry it slipped my mind," meowed Calis with a defeated look on her face. "It really is my bad."

Alina took a large bite of the berry and slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. The effect was quick and soon she felt much like her old self, save her shoulder hurting slightly from the impact. She smiled as best she could at Calis who was looking glum. On the other hand, at her supposed quick fix, Ren and Kori began looking quite less worried, padding about once again. Alina took another bite, and then another, savoring the juicy fruit for its flavor as well as healing effects. She polished off half of the fruit before a paw whisked it away and returned it to the satchel sitting on the rock.

"Master Calis please don't feel bad," said Alina. It really isn't your fault. If anything it's-"

"Don't blame me!" Barked Ren. "I didn't ask for you to fight back and roll into the bushes! If anything it's _your_ fault!" He scoffed and turned away, still holding the claw on the string around his neck.

"I appreciate that, little one. Are you really feeling alright?" Asked Calis, looking concernedly at the scowling Absol beneath her.

"I'm fine," She snarled, "I'm good enough to chase down my rotten brother and show him why he shouldn't be rude to his older sister!" She reared angrily before taking off full pelt, not just tagging her brother but hitting him full force with the butt of her horn which was only beginning to grow and was still just a dull stump. He let out a gust of air and fell over, the necklace dropping onto the ground beside him. Alina picked it up and threw it around her neck before taking off in a cloud of fabricated superiority.

Kori took this as a sign to resume the lesson as Ren got up and angrily chased after his sister who in his eyes had been unnecessarily aggressive for no apparent reason. Then again he thought, she had always been that way. She always seemed to do weird things for no real reason or react to things in ways he had not anticipated. He was about the same age as her but he still couldn't understand why she did many things.

He jumped from rock face to rock face, dashing through the air and angling his leaps so that he could jump from one to the next in quick succession. Maybe it was because she was born different. _Even if it was,_ he thought, _she has no reason to take it out on him._ He felt like he often had to put up with her being different. Like he didn't even have a choice. Everyone knew she wasn't quite right but he was her brother so he had to accept her. That's what his parents had told him anyways. He didn't really know what to think, but he definitely wasn't going to lose to her! He leapt over Kori who was chasing Alina across the grass and landed just in front of the Absol who dashed, almost unnaturally quickly, out of the way and ran up the nearest rock into the tree. Kori and Ren followed her eagerly as they sped through the thin branches of the plant, each trying to outmaneuver the other.

Practice for the day ended with all three of the apprentices panting and gasping for air. Kori held the Necklace due to a flying leap and just barely tapping Ren's back foot. She ran quite well despite having all of the extra fur on her chest which Alina often gawked at jealously, wishing she had just a bit more selective fluff on her body. She had fluff everywhere except for her face and claws for now but noticing her father and mother's sleek coats built for warm weather, it was unlikely that when she was older her fur would be long almost anywhere.

Master Sakor did not show up to the lesson that day, not even after it had begun, which was well enough because he wasn't really needed. He was more of a combat trainer when it really came down to it, but nobody questioned it. The Hitmonchan returned to the grove on his own through the back entrance to the clearing. Alina noticed him, hopped up from her dinner with the other apprentices, and padded over to Master Sakor.

"Hello Master Sakor," she said happily. "Why didn't you join us for training today?" He jumped at her sudden approach and happy chatter.

"Oh it's you," he said unaffectionately, "I had a sudden request to go and help someone from another guild who got stuck in a dungeon. It's none of your business anyways. Now leave me alone." He walked over to the food stone and picked up a large Watmel berry as well as a Razz berry and went to eat with the other adventurers, his bandana matching theirs.

Every adventurer got a bandana, and every guild had a different design. This guilds bandana was a faded light blue, almost the color of ice with a black and blue pattern on it which was usually partly hidden due to folds in the fabric. Alina looked on in awe at all of the bandanas and all of the adventurers. There were eight total in her guild, which was not a particularly insignificant number. They had more adventurers than most guilds in the area, her parents being two of them. Her mother smiled affectionately at her as the Ninetales noticed her daughter looking over in awe. Her father followed her gaze and also laid eyes on his daughter who watched in awe once again as the Virizion came down from the pinnacle rock in one graceful leap, coming to eat with the adventurers.

 _Normally the guildmaster keeps to herself during feeding time_ , thought Alina, but maybe today was different. Her parents turned their attention away from the small she-Absol and spoke with the guildmaster. Alina couldn't hear more than faint parts of words, but occasionally her parents would look over and smile at her. She really loved her parents. They were always supportive of her and kind even when nobody else was.

She thought back to when she was just a baby and would sleep with her mother in the nursing den, a place for baby pokemon and their mothers to sleep together with proper accommodations for each member. She cherished the memory as the other mothers who had children in the past came in to admire Alina and her Brother. Back then everyone had accepted that she was a little different and had given her praise anyways. They adored Ren though and he had spent lots of time looking up at other pokemons' adoring faces with his shining green eyes.

Alina wasn't particularly jealous of the attention, in fact she liked to be alone a lot of the time. But there was a difference between being ignored and being shunned. She lived with other pokemons' eyes at her back. She only found solace in the eyes of her parents and even though her brother was a pain he accepted her as well. She figured it could be worse.

She padded over to the food stone and grabbed an Oran berry. She could use it after her fall and hard exercise, having ran for hours playing, or training rather, with her friends. She sat alone under a small tree on the edge of the grove, savoring the berry and stretching her shoulder as the pains subsided. Music drifted over the plains and hills as the forest augmented the local Meloettas' songs. The music lulled the pokemon into a sleepy state and the feeding time came to an end as the guild gathered around for the daily meeting.

"All seems to have gone well, is there anything to report?" Inquired the guildmaster, looking for any pokemon eager to speak. Nobody spoke up and an air of calm mingled in the atmosphere as the distant melodies caressed the guild members' worn minds.

"There was nothing to report Guildmaster," announced the second in command, a Furfrou.

"Very good. I am looking to further the training of our apprentices and in the launching of an expedition to Kalridge Crevasse." She paused and murmuring began flowing through the crowd of pokemon facing her.

"I will be announcing the members who will be going on the expedition in three days time, until then everyone should work hard and prepare to leave regardless of whether they are chosen or not." She smiled kindly, "Good luck to you all in your next day's travels."

The group departed and each Pokemon went to their respective dens. Alina and Kori padded over to their sleeping hollow and laid down together on the moss side by side.

"Today was really...tiring," sighed Kori, who, as someone that usually didn't say much, was unsure of what to say. "Having extra dinner was quite the treat." Her eyes closed as she rolled onto her side before suddenly blurting "But I wouldn't want to rub it in! I only won by chance you know…" She started to trail off and mumble frantically.

"No it's alright," said Alina happily, "It would have only ended in a fight between me and my brother if one of us had it. You did well Kori." She rested her head on her paws and curled her tails around her body, almost covering her nose.

"Oh… I uhh… Thank you," Kori smiled and relaxed, laying her head on the moss and closing her eyes once again. "Night." She said softly as the two female pokemon drifted off to sleep.

Ren came in later, having just looked up at the bright stars for a while and thought about where he wanted to go. He was going to have to get a lot stronger if he wanted to become the richest adventurer in the world, he knew that, but he was willing to give it his best shot. He padded through the vines to see the two other apprentices sleeping next to each other. He ungracefully climbed over them and snuggled in between, warming all three of them and bringing a sense of tranquility even after a tiring and eventful day. The night came quickly and the small Vulpix drifted off just as the girls had, the night filling their minds with dreams of adventure.


	2. Banishment

**Banishment**

Alina awoke to the feeling of a large paw standing on her side and groaning she opened her eyes.

"Ren!" She yelled unhappily. "I swear you are the most careless Pokemon I've ever met!"

"I do care about some things, that was just on purpose," He smirked and looked back at his sister. "Enough _beauty_ sleep, it's time to meet up with Calis and Sakor. The sun's high already." The large Vulpix darted off. Having grown to his full size during the past three years of training, he was quick on his feet. Alina was unsurprised to see Kori join him happily at the edge of the grove and run off behind him into the grass beyond. She grumbled to herself as she rose up out of her mossy nook and shook the sleep from her bones. She reminded herself to bat Ren behind the ears for so casually referring to their mentors, having left out the "master" portion of their names. She stood just taller than her brother with sleeker fur than she had had as a child. She shook her head, letting her longer topknot fall into place beside her face as she headed off. Alina ducked her head, making sure not to scrape her horn on the side of the inlet, as it now poked a couple of inches above her head.

The fluff on her chest ruffled in the breeze as she gracefully padded over to the edge of the grass and said good morning to her mother eating a Wepear Berry. Her mother paused her morning chat with the Ursaring who was the recently admitted 'Guild medic'.

"Hello sweetheart," Cooed her mother as she passed and the Ninetales daintily nuzzled her daughter who now came almost up to her shoulder as she sat. "Would you like a bite to eat before you go off?"

"Mom," groaned Alina. "You _know_ that I'm not _allowed_ to eat before training. Besides," She continued, "I'm sure I'll find something along the way anyways." She kindly nodded towards the Ursaring who returned the gesture before she took off at a brisk pace towards Shin forest.

Shin forest was the training grounds for more experienced apprentices, as it was filled with aggressive bug Pokemon who almost always traveled in twos or threes. The track towards the forest was not as wide as the one to the town, but Alina knew it well by now. She and her comrades had been training there for almost a year now, spending their time with their mentors, learning new moves and advancing their understanding of the foundation which all Pokemon were based off of. Strength, was Alina's personal forte, and she excelled in a combination of agility and power in her fighting style.

Ren specialized in agility and abilities which were centered in flames and fire. Ren was not as strong as Alina in basic combat practice, but could easily outmatch her when it came to mock battles when special moves were allowed. Ren had been taught some fire moves, which helped him immensely. The guild records say they're called Ember and Flame Burst, but he learned one from his mother which wasn't yet recorded in full detail called Will-O-Wisp. It seemed to be connected to the inner flame found in Vulpixes and Ninetales.

Kori, on the other hand, was not as adept in most areas. She wasn't particularly fast and was not very good when it came to combat either. Her incoordination was her weakest point, and as she grew to accept her lack of fighting ability, she took up interest in being a healer Pokemon, who would hang at the back of the party when adventuring and supply aid whenever it was needed. Kori was still quite small even considering that Eevees are quite small Pokemon in general. She was full grown but she was still shorter than Ren and Alina, coming to their shoulders and having her ears outreach the other's. If she stretched, Kori's ears could reach above Alina's horn, but just barely.

During their training they had all learned a move called Quick Attack, which was very basic but also very useful, as it often was too fast to dodge and could create a stage for a more powerful attack. This was Kori's go-to move as a defense mechanism, assisting as best she could from the back lines. She had also learned Charm, which helped her subdue aggressive Pokemon if she ever got attacked, making it easier for her to escape or take them down.

Alina bounded over a fallen trunk, which upon further inspection, was the stalk of a recently healthy Nanab berry tree. She slowed to a walk and returned to the fallen tree, taking a couple of bites from the fruits before venturing to the meeting point at the edge of the forest.

"How kind of you to join us, Alina," said Master Sakor harshly, "We were getting ready to leave without you. Days from trying to become a full fledged adventurer and you _still_ aren't able to arrive on time." He scowled at her before continuing. "Today we'll be searching the woods for the entrance to a Lairon cave. Recently the activity in the forest has been unusually chaotic and Sivant has notified us that a herd of Lairon have been attacking the other Pokemon during the night, creating disturbances. They have even disrupted other guild's training sessions. Unlike them, however, we are going to confront the problem and attempt to negotiate with them. Is the goal for today clear?" He finished with a stout nod and the uncrossing of his arms.

Kori was the one to speak up.

"Master, what if the Lairon don't wanna talk about it and attack instead?" She inquired. Alina thought to herself that it was a valid point even if it was probably unlikely. The guild didn't have a lot of information on the Lairon however, and the numbers could be quite large compared to the group of five that was about to go and invade their personal territory.

"There will be no trouble if they have any sense at all," said Sakor in a slightly haughty and arrogant tone. "We have the advantage when it comes to species type. It is also unlikely they would interfere with guilds so aggressively. Any more questions?" He barked. "Good, then let's be off."

The traveling passed uneventfully, as Butterfree flew overhead and Caterpie climbed up the branches of trees, looking down contentedly as the party moved through the lush forest. Step after step the Pokemon stayed relaxed but aware as they ambled through the dense undergrowth. Tangela bounced up and down on the other side of a creek which ran from a lake near the edge of the forest through to the ocean. Sakor climbed over a fallen tree, crossing the stream as it branched into two parts, blocking their path unless they were going to cross.

The group followed the stream as it flowed north and cascaded into a pond, sending light droplets of water into the air around its base. The Hitmonchan stopped at the base of the waterfall and spoke once again to the apprentices.

"The cave is suspected to be along this pond somewhere. You will travel in groups of two, one with Calis, and I will go alone. If you find the location of the Lairon or run into any trouble, meet back here and ring the old bell, which is hidden inside the waterfall. It is old but should still work. It is an artifact from the ancient world, so do your best not to _break_ _it_ ," He looked at the apprentices, pausing on Ren fairly obviously.

The apprentices nodded in acknowledgement, having grown accustomed to taking their missions seriously.

"As Master Sakor said," purred Master Calis, "You will be traveling in pairs, so Ren go with Kori, and Alina," She smiled affectionately, "You will be with me." The pairs were formed and Sakor was the first to venture into the wilderness. Ren and Kori took off Westward, heading further into the forest and disappearing from sight. "Shall we be off?" Asked Calis, and padded along the edge of the water.

Alina caught up to her and the two Pokemon walked quickly beside one another. The expansive forest was still a bit daunting to the small Absol, who was only half grown at just under two feet tall, counting her horn, that is. Calis lead the way, breaking away from the stony water's edge and headed into the forest in a Northwesterly direction. The ground returned to its soft state and the two wound their way into the undergrowth. Calis gracefully pounced around the trees and rocks, enjoying the journey and entertaining herself in the process. Alina admired Calis's feline grace and instead jumped at the trunk of a tree, bounced off of it with an upward push, and landed on the branch above.

The acrobatics served as a form of entertainment as the two Pokemon enjoyed each other's' company. Scanning the forest for anything that looked like the cave of a group of Lairon ended uneventfully as far as the agile duo's search went, however, when the sound of a low toned bell rang through the forest everyone was at attention and running full pelt back towards the pond.

When the group had arrived back at the pond, the wet Eevee told everyone without even speaking who had rung the bell. Ren and Kori sat side by side, flicking their tails, one impatiently and one nervously. The group formed a circle of sorts and Ren spoke up.

"We found a large opening which has a shallow slope down. Pokemon were talking inside, and we think it could be the Lairons' base." He paused "There was… well there were signs that it was more than meets the eye. The voices weren't just one or two but there were multiple conversations going on."

"Well if there were conversations," Said Master Sakor, "Then they are probably civil enough to negotiate with us." He pointed towards the west. "Lead the way."

On the way there Alina thought it quite odd for Pokemon so civil to act so aggressively, especially towards guild members. Though Master Sakor had said it was unlikely that a battle would erupt due to two of the members being adventurers associated with a guild, Alina felt a sense of unease surrounding the idea of entering unknown territory. The forest grew quiet as Ren signaled up ahead. Looking forward through the trees, as predicted, there was a group of Lairon exiting the mouth of a large cave.

Not wanting to look suspicious, Calis took the first confident step and walked out into the open. The Lairon immediately tensed and looked at her with an accusatory stare. Calis didn't say anything, she simply sat down and began to lick her sleek coat posing no threat to any of the others. The Lairon relaxed and one spoke up.

"We are going to have to ask you to leave please. It would be wise for you to go." The gruff voice rang out between the trees and blended with the thick forest. The speaker hesitated as he saw the icy blue bandana around her neck but stood his ground. "What is someone from a guild doing here anyways?"

" _We,"_ said Sakor as he stepped out into the open. "Would like to speak with your leader. You've been causing a lot of trouble in the area and we've come to talk about making this easier for everyone." Alina noticed that he hadn't said this with a single sliver of emotion. Nothing in the way Master Sakor spoke would have implied that he actually had any plan of negotiating.

"We aren't allowed to let people into the cave. Besides once you get in there you will be slaughtered anyways. They wouldn't trust an outsider. Not for a second. So buzz off." The Lairon started to leave and a small Aron trailed behind them, hiding in between the large bodies of what Alina assumed to be its parents.

"Can't we just talk?" Blurted Ren as he jumped out of the brush and into the clearing. The mentors and Lairon whirled around in surprise and he immediately shrank back, looking at the ground.

"Just how many of you are there?" Asked the head Lairon unwaveringly. The air grew heavy with the tension of the situation as the two other smaller members stepped out of the bushes and into the clearing. As soon as the apprentices had come to a stop the Lairon relaxed before saying, "I would still advise that you leave. No offense but it would probably be for the best." The Aron looked at them sadly, giving its condolences to the group.

"Very well," said Calis. "Thank you for your cooperation." She turned with the others in tow as Master Sakor gave an unpleasant glance in the direction of the Lairon before jumping into the branches above after Calis and the apprentices. He jumped from limb to limb as they regressed, backing off and returning to the cascade of water.

Quietly the Pokemon sat, no one saying anything other than Alina who whispered in a harsh voice at her brother, who had blurted something impulsively again and made the group look desperate. Silently Calis motioned for the apprentices to begin heading back to town and she considered telling the guildmaster that there was nothing that could be done. Even as it was there may not be enough members in the guild to support that kind of a raid anyways. The Lairon cave would have to be left alone and dealt with as the events presented themselves. She nodded to herself, deciding to speak with the guildmaster about it when a loud cry came from the northwest.

Alina spun in the direction the noise came from, judging by the angle that it was probably coming from the cave they had just been to. Kori looked worriedly at Ren as she anxiously shifted the satchel around her body. Ren turned to Master Sakor with a look of determination on his small face.

"Let's go." Said Sakor and he took of at a full sprint through the forest. Calis and the others bounded after him, picking up speed as they quickly adjusted to the terrain and velocity they were now traveling at. The apprentices skidded to a halt as they nearly bumped into Master Sakor. He stood in awe as tens of Pokemon wearing black and red bandanas jumped into the mouth of the cave. Cries of various Pokemon rung out through the woods. Ren was the first to move.

He dove past Sakor and before he could be stopped he ran into the mouth of the cave. Calis was the next to follow as she dashed into the opening after the small Vulpix. Inside was chaos. Sableye, Beedrill, Shroomish, Lucario, and many other Pokemon, all wearing black and red bandanas slashed, kicked, and cooperatively used abilities to try and take down the Lairon.

"Help them!" Bellowed Master Sakor, and the apprentices rushed blindly into the unbelievable scene before them. Energy filled the air as fire and sparks scorched the tough outer shells of the defending Pokemon. Sakor rushed in after the smaller Pokemon and began whirling and spinning as he threw Focus Punch, after Mach Punch, after Comet Punch. The moves devastated the Lairon, as the type advantage allowed Sakor to overcome the tough armor on their bodies.

Alina jumped quickly over a Lairon being attacked by a Snivy and looked for her brother. He crouched tensely looking straight into the eyes of a Lairon, small balls of fire whirled around his body before he launched himself at the larger creature, the balls of fire spinning around it before sinking in through the cracks in its shell and piercing its insides. Ren backed off, jumping off of the Lairon as he saw his sister come running towards the now less enthusiastic Lairon. The Pokemon weighed more than the both of them combined and it reared its head upwards, roaring loudly enough for all of the other Lairon to hear. The other defending Pokemon roared into the air as well and began attacking more ferociously.

As Ren turned back around to face his opponent he felt a sharp pain in his side as he went careening through the air to the rock wall next to him. The headbut had made direct contact, and with the increased strength all of the Lairon seemed to possess he had done some serious damage. Alina looked carefully at the target and braced herself. The Lairon looked back in anger and charged at the Absol who was prepared for an evasive maneuver. She jumped over the charging ball of steel and landed on the wall, using the split second to focus her mind on using Quick Attack and jumping directly at the Lairon from the rocky surface.

She collided with the steely exterior of the Pokemon, knocking it sideways but otherwise doing no noticeable damage. She thought back to a lesson Master Calis had taught back when they were still training out of the woods. She remembered that type advantages played a large part in battles and that if she was going to do any damage to the Pokemon before her she would have to stop using basic moves and incorporate some of her specific type, which in her case was darkness.

She backed away from the Lairon in a swift jump and landed next to her brother who was shaking himself out of his dazed stupor.

"That Will-O-Wisp should be doing some damage by now sis. Don't let a Pokemon like him intimidate you," he shouted over the noise of the battling all around them. _A Pokemon like that?_ She thought. Alina suddenly began to think about what kind of Pokemon the Lairon really were. Nobody really had any proof that they had done anything wrong and the ones outside the cave seemed quite friendly. She saw the small Aron cowering in the corner, being slowly hunted down by a Zorua with a horribly sickening grin on his face.

She immediately recognized the face of the compassionate Aron who had been so shy and weak looking when they first met outside the current battleground. She looked, appalled, as the Zorua laughed and closed in on the small innocent creature who was slowly backing into a corner with tears in its small eyes. With no ground left to retreat to it sat on the ground and covered its eyes with its legs, wailing in terror as the larger Pokemon came closer.

Alina immediately forgot the Lairon her brother was now going to have to face alone and felt anger ripple through her blood. She dashed with a new found speed, using her emotion and the speed of a quick attack to fly through the air and land feet first on the wall between the Zorua and the Aron. She bounced off of the wall and landed on the ground, facing the black Pokemon whose smile had faded. Seeing his blank expression, she looked at him with a harsh glare and growled.

"What do ya' think yer' doin' freak? Stay outta' my way!" He shouted as he tried to push past the mutated Absol blocking his path. She braced herself and pressed him firmly against the wall with her shoulder.

"What do you think _you're_ doing?" She asked in horror, "Can't you see that this one isn't like the others? Are you _blind_ or something?" She practically screamed as she spat the words, the small Aron crying in fear behind her. "Do you even know why you are attacking these Lairon?" She looked around at the horrifying scene. The Pokemon in the black bandanas were maliciously cutting down the lairon, and chasing down any that tried to escape. The other guild had come on an extermination expedition. To eliminate the Pokemon there once and for all. She couldn't begin to comprehend why any Pokemon deserved to be killed, especially ones that seemed to be as normal as the Lairon who told them to leave for their own safety.

Alina shoved the Zorua backwards, away from the wall and the Aron and he backed away with a look of frustration furrowing his brow.

"And what do you know?" He scoffed, "They are just weak wild Pokemon. Why do we need a reason to get rid of them? If they were so weak they shouldn't have caused trouble in the first place. I won't forget this." He spun around and stormed off, jumping out the exit to the cave and running off to the East. The tension released in Alinas shoulders and she looked back at the Aron who was looking at her with teary eyes. She sat down in front of it as it slowly hobbled over and leaned its head against her front paw, tears still rolling down its face.

"Thank you miss," he cried in a small voice, but it was lost on her ears as she remembered her brothers situation. She snapped her head to the side, looking for the fire type Pokemon wherever he might be. She spotted him fighting with a small Wormadam, flames engulfing the two of them before the grass type flew yelping into the brush beyond. She looked around in surprise to see the remaining Lairon fighting alongside the members from her guild to fend off the onslaught of Pokemon from the black and red guild.

She jumped to Calis's side as she meowed ferociously at the spiky tail of a Luxray as it joined the remainder of its comrades on their retreat. The Virizion Guild Pokemon gathered at the entrance to the cave and looked down on the Lairon beneath. The large steel Pokemon slowly quieted and turned to look at the battered saviors they had miraculously been assisted by. Alina looked at her Masters in wonder, as even Sakor had helped fend off the attackers as they had realised the truth behind what was happening during the battle. One Lairon who was limping quite badly stepped forward.

"Wh...Wh...Why." It stammered awedly. "Why did you help us?" Calis stepped forward to reply.

"No Pokemon deserves what was intended to be brought upon you, and unfortunately what I believe has befallen some of your brethren." She paused as silence filled the space, the two unmoving Lairon lying on opposite edges of the area inside. "We will send aid immediately to assist those in need and please feel free to come and ask for help anytime. I can not assure you that other guild members will be willing to help for free, but I personally offer you my service as you need it." She bowed her head respectfully. The Lairon spoke amongst themselves and the one at the front turned around to hear the consensus from the rest of the group.

"We thank you kindly for your offer," he said unwaveringly, "but we simply can not accept. We know why the other guild attacked us, and it was for fair reason. There is a story behind it all if you have the time to listen, but it shall not flatter us. It will instead reveal the truth behind the past couple of days."

"Was there anything to report from today's expeditions?" Asked the guildmaster. Kori stepped forward shyly and spoke up.

"The group of Lairon who had been taking refuge in Shin Forest were attacked by a guild today." Murmuring spread through the crowd as the Eevee sat down and began to tell the story in a shortened form. "The guild had sent adventurers with their apprentices into the forest for training yesterday morning when one of the patrols designed to survey the area for the Lairon spotted the other guild's members. They attacked the members, brutally killing one of the apprentices." Shouts and cries rose from the crowd as the idea of a Pokemon dying rang through everyone's minds. "The Lairon knew there would be a retaliation and immediately decided to cease their territorial violence. The guild, though their motives are not completely clear, seemed to be focused on brutal revenge as they attacked the Lairon cave intending to exterminate the Pokemon inside it. Our members were at first assisting the other guild's Pokemon but upon seeing one of the Lairon fall for good Master Calis ordered us to fend off the attackers, and informed us of their horrible goals." Calis stood up and jumped to the front.

"I will of course take responsibility for my decision and Guildmaster," She nodded towards the Virizion, "you may reprimand me as you see fit. This may," she said turning back to the guild members, "cause disturbances between our guild and Zoroark's guild, so be prepared in any case for a confrontation with any of their members."

"This is quite troubling," said Virizion as Calis paused and returned to her place in the group, sitting next to the other qualified adventurers. "I will speak with Zoroark and attempt to come to an agreement with him and the other members of his guild. I will leave tomorrow. Dorn and Tarsil will accompany me to the meeting and assist in negotiations." Both Pokemon nodded and the guildmaster resumed, "With that settled is there anything left to announce?" As silence followed, she smiled and returned to her usual self. "As planned the apprentices will be leaving in three days time along with their mentors for Kalridge Crevasse on their acceptance expedition, a previously explored dungeon, but nonetheless a test for them to prove their readiness to explore. Good luck preparing, to the three of you, and to all of you, good luck in your next day's travels."

With those parting words the Pokemon dispersed and receded towards their own dens. The day's work showing its toll on the apprentices through their sluggish movements. Kori walked directly into the den and rolled into a ball before falling asleep peacefully, Ren being close behind and doing similarly just beside his friend. Alina however stayed out on the rock which led up to her den and looked up at the stars.

Something on her mind was disturbing her. _Were there really Pokemon in the world that were like that Zorua?_ She thought to herself as she gazed upon the lights which hung above. The sinister look on his face as he watched the Aron suffer burned itself into her mind, the terror and overwhelming fear of the Aron keeping her awake until she could take it no longer. She padded into her den and closed her eyes. She _did_ have to rest up for the days to come she remembered. It was finally time for their acceptance expedition. They were going to finally become adventurers. A smile crept along her face as the Absol drifted off to sleep thinking of the Aron who was now safe with its parents, thankful that she had done the right thing.

She awoke the next morning to the shuffling of the two other apprentices as they awoke from their peaceful resting places. Alina stood up and stretched, her tails fanning out as she yawned in a careless and unbecoming way. Not that she minded how people saw her anymore. Kori sat down at the mouth of the cave which had recently grown to seem much smaller than before. Planning had to be done and the siblings came to sit across from the Eevee.

"So what's on the cards for today?" Asked Ren cheerily, far too perky for the early morning drowsiness Alina was accustomed to.

"Well," replied Kori, "I was hoping we could all go together to the forest and look for healing berries. I thought maybe it would be good to rely on our own supply instead of the guild's." Alina and Ren both nodded in agreement. All of the apprentices wanted to show how self reliant they were and try their best to be as prepared as possible to become full adventurers.

"Alright sounds like a plan to me," said Alina as she blinked slowly and stifled yet another yawn. Her brother shoved her over and she flopped onto her side, a small whoosh of air leaving her lungs. Slowly she pushed herself back up and shook her head, her hair flopping from side to side before falling into place on her left. She looked back up at Kori and stood, slightly more lively than before.

"Let's head off then," she said as she took a couple of steps out of the den and into the sunlit grove before her.

Virizion sat at the base of the Pinnacle rock, waiting for Tarsil, the Floatzel; Dorn at her side as usual. As the Assistant Guildmaster he tended to be at her side, but this time has was more anxious than usual. The seconds ticked by as the weasel Pokemon appeared out of the adventurers' den and came to sit in front of the Guildmaster.

"I told you of the plans for negotiations, correct?" Asked Virizion, looking sternly at her two accomplices.

"Yes miss, you did indeed miss, they have been taken into account miss," replied Dorn anxiously. "I believe we are ready to go miss." He stood up quickly and began padding towards the northerly path, which lead to Muraha. The guildmaster sighed and signalled for Tarsil to follow. She nodded across the clearing at the Zigzagoon and Aipom on the other side who had been left in charge. They were to keep a lookout for any members of other Guilds or wild Pokemon that were entering the area and confront them before they got to the grove. They had been advised to avoid violence if at all possible.

Virizion walked over to the two other Pokemon, and with one on either side of her they began the journey towards Zoroark's guild via Muraha. The trek didn't take long when it was taken at the speed of highly adept Pokemon. Virizion's long strides covered many yards with each bound whereas Dorn and Tarsils' were smaller and faster strides, which still maintained the same speed but managed to look a whole lot less impressive.

The Pokemon sped through the tall grasses and sparse trees before the large Willow tree poked its branches over the horizon and slowly came into view. The Pokemon stopped briefly to gather some food, due to the lack of a meal in the early morning back in The Grove. Apples and Leppa berries were distributed amongst the three and they continued swiftly on their journey.

Tarsil opened the large map, which was in the adventurer's pack he was wearing around his shoulder and torso. The unclear road wound and twisted through the rampantly growing grass, so much so that the original trail was hard to find. The one sign of the Zoroark guild, however, was the wooden structures built into the massive trees, which rose above the normal treeline. The party slowed their approach as to not raise suspicion before walking directly into the lowest level of Zoroark's guild.

The trees stretched high above and on the largest branches there were large cube like structures which had been built partially into the tree and over time had become smooth with the surface of the bark as the massive oaks grew around the Pokemon-made structures. Small wooden pathways hanging by ropes connected each building, ascending or descending to the nearest platform before connecting to the wood and serving as a bridge.

Having never been to Zoroark's guild Tarsil stared in awe as the ancient creation loomed above him. Two Pokemon ran happily across the path in front of Virizion only pausing briefly to look at her sleek body and beautiful figure before continuing their playful chase. Virizion smiled at the simple joy felt by the small Pokemon, thinking back to the once small Pokemon who were going to go on an expedition to become adventurers quite soon.

She introduced herself kindly to a Bidoof who was wandering down one of the bridges before asking for directions to Zoroark's current location. He directed them up a complex set of bridges and ropes as they rose higher into the sky. They arrived at the opening to a large wooden room with a finely decorated interior. A large black Pokemon sat comfortably on a stuffed cussion in the corner of the room as he spoke with one of the guild's adventurers. Virizion stepped into the doorway and looked at Zoroark.

"Funny that you would show your face here Virizion. I know what happened yesterday," said Zoroark in a monotonal voice.

"We have come to speak with you about just that. I wanted to negotiate with you, if that's alright of course." Zoroark sighed and gestured to the spot the Axew was sitting in as the small Pokemon got up and walked with a blank look out of the room.

"I never was very good at this sort of thing Virizion, you know that." He paused. "Let's make this quick."

The sun shone brightly as wispy clouds drifted lazily about the expansive blue atmosphere. Alina was in a tree, looking down at Ren and Kori who looked back up at her, preparing to catch a falling Oran berry. She bit the stem of the berry and let it fall, landing in the satchel and making it bulge slightly as the bag was only a quarter of the normal bag size, meant for apprentices as well as only slices of fruits.

"We finally caught one!" Shouted Kori happily, putting the satchel around her torso again and wandering back to the path which lead to the guild's territory. Ren sighed and walked up beside the bouncing Eevee nudging her gently with his paw as they walked.

"You did well. I hardly did anything to be honest. You practically caught it on your own." He smiled as he looked at her and she resonated with even more pleasure, practically skipping along the path.

"Thanks Ren," she said as she grinned back at him. Alina watched as the two very close friends seemed to really have something special between them. Ren never treated her that way, and if he ever did it would be a miracle. She wasn't given praise by anyone other than her mother who had always been there for her. Her father had grown more distant in the past couple of years. He still smiled and played with Ren as if he were the perfect son but he only rarely smiled at Alina. She had learned to accept people's judgement more or less, but none the less, receiving the cold shoulder from her dad still hurt.

In the past couple of years Alina had earned the respect of some of the guild members. This by no means meant that everyone accepted her for the kind of unusual Pokemon she was, but it meant that she had a few more opportunities to act like a normal Pokemon, and now that she was going to become an adventurer she would fit in even better.

She smiled to herself at coming one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a guildmaster. The trio walked back to The Grove and the siblings watched as Kori skillfully prepared the berry which they had managed to retrieve. Her claws cut cleanly through the blue fruit and it oozed with juice as she cut the larger pieces into slices and she set them out on the rock in from of the den to dry over the next couple of days.

As Kori worked a small voice rang out from the edge of the clearing. She turned to see what could be causing all the ruckus but instead saw the sentries escorting two Lairon and the Aron into the clearing. She leapt up from her small resting place and quickly jumped down to meet the oncoming group.

"Hello little one!" She exclaimed as she stared at the visitors, mouth slightly agape. "Why did you come all this way?" The larger of the two Lairon spoke up.

"We just wanted to thank you for yesterday. You did the best you could and weren't properly thanked. I got separated from my baby," she nuzzled the Aron as she spoke, "And he told me after the whole event that an Absol with three tails had saved him. He wanted to thank you personally." The Aron stepped forward and dropped a daisy onto the ground in front of Alina.

"Thank you so much for what you did for me and my parents. My name is Taren, but you can call me Tarry." He smiled at her and blushed slightly, seeing her shocked but pleased face. A crowd of Pokemon had slowly gathered around the unbelievable scene as Alina leaned down and touched the flower with her nose. The scent filled her nostrils as she felt tears of happiness well up under her eyelids.

"Th….thank you. Thank you so much," She said in a small but sincere voice as she smiled. Alina looked back at Ren and Kori, who were standing in awe at the edge of the circle. Alina attempted to regain her composure and wiped the tears from her eyes as she cleared her throat.

"I couldn't have done it without my friends," she admitted, beckoning them forward, not wanting to be the center of attention any longer than she had to be. They sat on either side of her, slightly behind as to not steal the limelight. Even Ren who was usually an attention hog, waited patiently behind the emotional Absol.

"And our thanks to you as well," said the gruff male Lairon.

"You are quite welcome," Replied Kori.

"It was no trouble at all," said Ren, trying to look tough, as if fighting the Pokemon had been a breeze for him.

The Lairon smiled and looked down at their child.

"We really must go. Preparations for relocation are being made back at the cave and we should be there to assist. I'm glad Tarry got to thank you. He really is a huge fan of yours." Tarry blushed even harder than before, looking at his small feet as best he could. Alina smiled and nodded.

"That's alright. Thanks again for coming and stopping by. It means a lot." Alina meant that. She never imagined the small incident with the Zorua yesterday would result in something like this.

Everyone said farewell to the Lairon as they departed, the sun setting slowly in the distance. Virizion approached from the north as the Lairon left on the path westward. Suddenly the Aron spun around and ran back to hug Alina.

"What's your name? I might not ever see you again after this," said the small Aron who was holding on tightly to the stomach of the larger Pokemon before him. Alina's eyes welled up with tears again as she said only her name, fearing that the Aron would hear the wavering in her voice if she said any more. The Aron let go and looked up at her.

"Someday," he said, "I want to be as big and strong as you are Master Alina. I want to help other Pokemon the way you do and become an adventurer." He smiled and ran back of into the grass. "Goodbye now!" He yelled as he scampered after his slow moving parents.

Alina couldn't manage to say anything back as she was filled with a sense of bliss and appreciation. Something that was unfamiliar to her, and she decided in that moment she would do more nice things for other Pokemon. If being thanked felt this amazing, she had to do more acts worthy of praise. She walked back to the den as the crowd dispersed, a feeling of happiness resonating on the air as the Meloettas' music began to ring out across the land. Their evening melody drifting through the clearing as the guild members prepared to eat a proper dinner and hold a meeting before nightfall. Alina had never felt better in her life. This was a moment she would forever cherish.

In the morning the group prepared to leave with Calis and Sakor on the edge of the training grounds. As was usual, Alina was the last to groggily drag herself out of the den and amble over to the edge of the clearing. Her stomach growled as she looked intently at the fruit that the adventurers were eating. Her energy seemed to return to her as she remembered that in a couple of days she might be able to join the other adventurers in their morning meal. She smiled at the prospect and began padding more quickly towards the forest.

She began running, warming up her legs for whatever lesson might have been in store for the day. She bounded across the grassy plain as she thought back to the report left at the guild meeting the previous evening. Virizion had said that Zoroark was unpleased with the guild's interference and that if there were any further incidents of the guild meddling in the affairs of theirs violence was not against their policies. Everyone in Virizion's guild had been told to keep on the lookout for any of the members from Zoroark's guild and to make sure that no action was taken against them at any cost.

Alina landed gracefully at the entrance to the forest, trees looming over her as she stood before Master Calis. Ren and Kori sat by her side as they waited for Master Sakor to show up. Many minutes passed and Calis began to grow impatient with her increasingly infuriating colleague.

"We will begin the lesson without him," Said Calis in a matter of fact way. She mumbled to herself as she turned around, but Alina only caught the words "don't" and "anyways" which she figured was probably Calis appreciating the lack of a necessity for him being there. They walked through the forest at a brisk pace, practicing their acrobatics as Calis led the way to a clear patch in the trees.

"Today," she said calmly, having regained her composure, "I will be teaching you about something you may think is only common sense but in fact takes lots of practice and will help you quite a bit in battle. Combination moves are preset strings of abilities or movements which let you easily outpace your opponent and do more damage more efficiently. Our plan for today is to have you come up with and practice your own combinations. I will help you out with this of course, but there are trees all around to help you practice." She let the Pokemon talk amongst themselves for a while, deciding what kinds of moves would be effective in a flowing motion or could be strung together in quick succession.

Alina had decided that a Quick Attack into a Bite would probably work well, as the prerequisites for using bite were that you had to be within close proximity to the target. Ren had decided to practice a combination of Will-O-Wisp and Quick Attack which he had already thought of himself in his own time spent training. Alina thought back to the battle in the cave and how she had seen Ren use Will-O-Wisp before jumping towards the target. Ren obviously was very focused and passionate about being strong in battle, noted Alina. Even if he seemed absent minded and carefree in lessons he must really care about it if he has already put thought into these kinds of things.

Kori had not been able to decide on an attack combination so she instead was going to focus on a retreat, jumping backwards to specific locations or in tight quarters. The apprentices presented their ideas to Calis and she accepted them in turn. Upon being dismissed, the Pokemon went to allocated areas of the training grounds, the charred, scratched, and damaged trees before them serving as training dummies.

The day passed slowly as the tiring activities slowly consumed most of the energy the apprentices had, the repetition of using abilities being taxing on their smaller and inexperienced bodies. A break was taken in the middle of the day and the Pokemon decided to use it to go and explore the Lairon cave. The Lairon had left by the time they got there and they were confronted with a conflicting acceptance, being happy they had been able to move on but sad they were gone. Two graves now sat outside the entrance to the cave commemorating the efforts of the two fallen Lairon.

The rest of the day was spent wasting time, as most people would see it, until the sun began to set and Calis happily beckoned for the Pokemon to follow her back to camp. It was always more fun with Calis because she let them enjoy themselves. The three apprentices were diligent enough to be focused on their own for some time, but they were still young and enjoyed just relaxing and messing about for a bit. They knew not to mention it to Sakor, especially since they were going on an expedition in under two days time.

After an evening meal, the meeting, and a quick talk with Sakor who had apparently been preparing in other ways, getting special items for " _an enhanced exploration experience"_ as he put it. The Pokemon weren't going to question the small bit of kindness Sakor seemed to be displaying, as he was in a good mood for a change and seemed to be a little more relaxed than normal.

The Pokemon happily went off to their den to fall asleep, sure that the next day would hold many adventures for them. The three of them fell asleep closer together than normal, all leeching off of Ren's warm body and the bond they felt now that they were finally going to be working together to achieve their goal of becoming adventurers. The night came swiftly as they dozed off together, finding peace in the quiet slumber.

The next day flew by as the Pokemon went with Calis and Sakor to Muraha where they each got items they thought they would need out of the guild storage, making sure the Masters noted they had already got their own berries for healing purposes. The path they would take to Kalridge Crevasse was discussed later in the day, after the trip to Muraha had ended.

The path to the dungeon would take only a part of the day to travel, leaving the rest of the day for completing the dungeon itself. Once the dungeon was completed they planned to spend the night in the surrounding area before coming back to report the happenings the next day.

That day the apprentices were dismissed early and told to rest up because they would need the energy for the trip ahead. With everything planned it was hard to fall asleep. Everything was prepared for the journey ahead. Even Kori was excited. She was ready to be put in a situation where she could show how useful she was. She had not really been doing a whole lot in training with the others. Instead she had been learning how to apply bandages, what each berry did, how to most effectively assist in battles, and what to do in dangerous situations when the group was flanked or surrounded.

Despite being told to sleep as much as possible the small Pokemon hardly slept at all. The excitement was too intense and the anticipation of their first official expedition was lingering in their minds. The three Pokemon slept only once they could not manage to stay awake any longer, drifting off to sleep until the early morning.

The sun had not even risen by the time the Pokemon were called from outside by their Masters. Alina, who was normally slow to awaken, was the first out of bed and down by the two leaders, her smaller friends close behind her, Kori with her bag and healing items.

"Well this is it," said Calis, "You will be going with us on an expedition through a real dungeon. We will be trying to stay out of the way and watch how you perform in a real life and death situation. Dungeons are dangerous places and depending on how well you handle each scenario you will either be awarded an official adventurer's bandana, or be asked to keep training before trying again at the next available opportunity." The Pokemon sat still as they listened intently, sorting through the thoughts in their mind before coming to terms with what was at risk and the seriousness of the situation.

"We will be going Northeasterly as planned, heading towards the dungeon, and once we get there, we will have a quick review. I assume you all have your items prepared and are ready to embark on the adventure before you?" She inquired and the apprentices nodded. "Then let's be off."

"What stands before you is the gaping mouth of Kalridge Crevasse. The opening is only the beginning. The cave continues beneath the surface and is actually a hidden dungeon with lots of aggressive wild Pokemon. You will be expected to properly protect and tend to yourselves until the end of the dungeon. I will follow up the back with Callis, Alina in front of me, Kori in front of her, and Ren in the very front." Sakor continued talking as Ren puffed out his chest, proud he was chosen to be the ringleader for this expedition. "Try your best, and I expect lots from you. Good luck."

With that they were off into the dungeon. Even Sakor seemed to be in a good mood, as if he was actually pleased about the apprentices being given the chance to become adventurers. They descended into the ravine and arrived at the bottom, mystical light illuminating the ground they were going to walk on. They lined up in the order they had been told to and headed off into the corridor, the walls on either side of them giving room for two Pokemon at a time but no more than that.

The Pokemon stared in awe at the inside of what was their first real dungeon. They only became alert at the sight of a wild Pokemon who immediately spun around and faced them. It was a Sneasel who had been eating in the corner. Ren immediately took action, using a quick attack and slamming into the enemy Pokemon. They rolled around, scratching and clawing until Alina jumped in and used bite on the Sneasel. It fainted in her jaws and Ren jumped away. The dungeon Pokemon would be up and running again in a couple of hours.

Dungeons were actually quite the unusual mystical locations. The dungeon always appeared out of nowhere for no apparent reason, with its own set of wild Pokemon in it which could not die. The Pokemon could only faint before getting back up again for the next set of adventurers. Mystery dungeons they were called, which Alina thought was quite a fitting name as she considered all these things while walking to their left into another corridor. Once you reached the end of a dungeon you were teleported to outside of it by a mysterious light, and any Pokemon with a guild bandana could leave at any point if they so chose, simply by thinking about being back at the start.

The next Pokemon was another Ice type, as a cloyster sat in the middle of the corridor blocking the path. Alina jumped over it and used Bite on its shell, cracking it and breaking a piece off. Ren used Flame Burst on the open side of the shell. Despite being less effective, the raw power of the move wore down the enemy Pokemon and it fainted, fading into thin air and leaving the path clear for the others to pass.

Things carried on much like this until three rooms later where a large set of stairs led down to the next level. Ren descended the stairs and ran face first into two Pokemon, another Sneasel and a Glalie, who immediately used tackle and Ice shard on him. The attacks both hit and Ren scampered, limping, backwards a few steps. Kori jumped down to beside him and held out a piece of Oran berry for him to eat. He chewed quickly on the piece of tough fruit, much of his strength returning to him instantly and he sprung back up.

By the time the other Pokemon realized that Ren hadn't fainted, the three apprentices were facing them. The larger and inexperienced Pokemon stood no chance as the teamwork of Ren and Alina took them down as Kori provided backup. They faded into the air and the Pokemon went down into the next floor. The Pokemon passed down the floors, and upon reaching the fifth, the light began to grow to a more purple colour, casting its glow upon the adventurers and apprentices.

The paths became thinner as they continued deeper into the dungeon, the light becoming scarce and making everything appear more hidden. Every corner held a sense of danger as Ren passed each one with confidence, time seeming to drag by as they continued passing through the rooms. Less Pokemon were on these levels, but the ones that were had more fight in them.

The apprentices began to tire as they continued on their way, getting help from Kori as they ate pieces of various fruits which helped them immensely, providing sustenance and restoration of energy. The apprentices received ample opportunity to experiment with move combinations as they battled real Pokemon in the dungeon. They began to grow confident as time passed, passing through the hallways and rooms without shrinking back from, or peering into each one before entering.

The light in a room ahead made the Vulpix curious, and as Calis walked behind them she only recognized the light before it was too late. The apprentices walked into the room which at first seemed to be empty. Calis suddenly stepped forward, surprising the three smaller Pokemon. They gathered around her as Pokemon began dropping from the ceiling, landing all throughout the room. Glalie, Cloyster, Jynx, Spheal, Snorunt, Sneasel, and other Pokemon surrounded the group, almost four times larger in number than the approaching party of 5.

"This is called a monster house," Said Calis calmly, "and I will help you deal with this. We knew there was a chance you would run into one however the chances were slim. Nonetheless we are prepared. Face them with everything you have. I will provide support. Go!" She dashed to the side as Ren and Kori both flung themselves at other Pokemon. Alina stayed where she was, feeling Sakor's hand on her shoulder.

"Wha-" She said and was cut off as she spun around and was blinded by a green flash, fear flooding her body. An uncontrollable sense of terror filled her, and she turned away from the exit to face the onslaught. Noises bombarded Alina's ears as the other Pokemon around her seemed to multiply and grow dark as the world turned into a mass of flashing horrific images. The room became a living nightmare as she looked around in a panic.

"Come on!" Said a familiar voice. "What are you doing just standing there? Come help!"

Ren looked back to see Alina turning around with a horrified look on her face. Sakor had just jumped into the battle beside him as his sister stood back in a shocked stupor.

"Come on!" He yelled. "What are you doing just standing there? Help out!" She stayed where she was and shook in what Ren could interpret as nothing other than fear. He ignored her and turned to the next Pokemon, battling with it and finishing it off quickly. He looked around to see that all of the remaining Pokemon in the room were allies. They regrouped and came over to Alina.

Four massive Pokemon started walking towards her and she began to back away slowly. They burned with a dark flame and illuminated the pitch black corridor in front of her as she ran in the opposite direction of the approaching monsters. Alina didn't look back and as she heard their footsteps behind her she just ran faster.

"Stop her!" Yelled Sakor as they chased after the Absol. Sakor was the first to reach her and he jumped on her back, pinning her to the ground as she squirmed and writhed. He turned her to face him and he looked back at the other Pokemon with a grim look.

"She looks like she's gone berserk," commented Ren in shock as they gathered around Alina, who was looking up at them on her back in terror.

"It's ok little one," Said Calis, coming close to her as she stayed still. "It's only us. It will be ok."

A voice reached out to Alina as she fumbled through the terrifying emotions which swarmed her consciousness.

"It's ok," it said, warming the chilling fear she felt through what seemed to be every bone of her body. "It's only us." It said, a Liepard's face coming into her vision as the warm words helped her remember where she was.

"C...Calis?" She called out. "Is that you?" The world came back into focus and the light flowed into the cave around her. "I have.." She fumbled for the words. "I have no idea what happened." She finally said, coming to the conclusion that there was no good way to describe it without making it seem like she was a wimp. She would not hear the end of it from her brother if she had done anything stupid while she was feeling the way she had been. She didn't remember anything other than that it was all very dark and scary.

"It's ok." Said Calis. "We are here for you. I think you should probably leave the dungeon for now. We will talk about this later." She paused and nodded to Sakor. As he roughly brought Alina to her feet.

"It would be a shame for her to put us in any more danger. She isn't ready Calis." He said in a serious voice before a bright light engulfed the two Pokemon as they left the dungeon, returning to the outside to set up camp for the night.

"Guildmaster," Calis bowed her head in respect before stepping back, presenting the three apprentices who stepped forwards. "The performance at the cave was varied and there were a couple things I would like to discuss with you afterwards, however for the most part Kori and Ren did very well. All of the Pokemon did well to prepare and when put in a normal situation they all, including Alina, performed as was expected of them. The wild Pokemon met were all defeated quite easily and they became more adept as they went further into the dungeon. The only problem arose when we ran into a monster house and Alina began acting up. I will discuss it with you and Sakor later, if that is alright, however for now, the general synopsis up to that point for all three would be passing with flying colours." She stopped and waited for a response. The guildmaster looked curiously at Alina before nodding.

"I will accept your proposal and we will all speak later about the matter. I will announce the new adventurers at the evening guild meeting. I will take until then to decide who will officially be granted the bandanas and title of adventurer. I will speak with you now Calis. Come with me." She walked off towards the Pinnacle rock. Sakor and Calis followed, padding into the den as the three apprentices sat in silence for a moment.

"Ugg I can't believe we have to wait until the end of the day!" Groaned Ren, "It's only mid day!" He was right, thought Alina. She would have the entire rest of the day before she figured out what would happen to her. She had tried her best to not think too much about what would happen, but she knew there was not a great chance of her getting to become an adventurer. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew she had to be taken out of the dungeon early. It wasn't really fair. She knew she probably could have gone on with the dungeon because she felt pretty much the same as normal after she got up off the ground. She had already thought through the options of what it could have been, but nothing in particular came to mind. All she knew was that Sakor had seemed very, very upset with her performance. He had even said she wasn't ready and nobody had tried to argue. It was going to be a long afternoon.

"It's ok we weren't supposed to run into a monster house!" Said Kori reassuringly. "There is no way they could judge your performance based on that. It was just Master Sakor who was unhappy with it." Kori's words did little to settle the sense of unease she felt in her gut. Something hadn't been right, that was for sure. She would never have done that normally, even if it was a lot of wild Pokemon she had never thought herself to be a Pokemon who was easily frightened. No matter how hard she tried though she couldn't remember what had caused her to feel so terrified.

"I heard Calis saying something to herself earlier," piped up Ren. "She was saying something about how it was so odd for you to do so well and then instantly turn and run at a moment's notice."

"She was saying that to us Ren, not to herself," Said Kori with a disappointed sigh. "Maybe that's why you don't ever listen. Anyways," she turned back to Alina. "I think it will be alright. I'm sure they will really think about it. Calis is on your side, I'm sure."

"Thanks guys. I feel a lot better now," said Alina, faking a smile and turning away to face the wall of the den. "I think I'm going to take a nap, make sure to wake me for the evening meeting though." She rested her head down on her paws and she closed her eyes.

"Will do," said Kori cheerfully, not knowing that Alina only wanted to sleep to get away from the horrible thoughts and the feeling in her chest. She drifted off after a couple of minutes, slipping into a more peaceful mindset, as images of the Aron filled her dreams.

"We can't let her become an adventurer." Said Sakor calmly. "She put all of us in danger and became overwhelmed in the situation. She _definitely_ isn't ready."

"I would like to hear what Calis has to say before I make any decisions."

"I think it was an unusual first expedition and due to her high level of performance before the encounter of the monster house she should be at least given another chance if not accepted as it is. She is very capable, though I am sure you already know this Virizion."

"Yes," she replied, "I have indeed been keeping a watch on her. Sakor does have a point though, if she put you in danger we can't have her doing that on more serious expeditions. It is not easy to let this go."

"A monster house was not supposed to be a part of the expedition! She is ready, and in my eyes she deserves just as much as the others, to become an adventurer."

"Well Calis," said Sakor quite angrily, "what if she were to run into one while exploring a different dungeon? Hmm? What then? Just because it isn't a part of the plan doesn't mean it doesn't happen in the real world. She would have to be supervised at all times, and as it is we don't have the resources for that." He seemed to calm down a bit as he spoke. "I think the guildmaster, who you so casually address, can also see the risk in this. Giving her more time won't hurt anything, but letting her become an adventurer right now, might."

"I have heard enough," said Virizion as she stood up. "You may go now. My final decision will be announced tonight at the meeting. Until then I bid you farewell."

"Alina! Wake up! Alina! Hey!"

The sleeping Absol slowly opened her eyes to see Kori jumping up and down in front of her.

"The meeting is starting! It's starting right now, we need to go! It's time to finally become adventurers!" Alina had never seen Kori more excited in her life. Kori's excitement turned Alina's unease into anticipation as she jumped up and ran with her friend out to the group which was gathering around the pinnacle rock. Virizion stepped out onto the rock, looking down on the Pokemon in front of her.

"Good evening everyone, there will be an important announcement after this concerning the new adventurers who will be joining our ranks today. Firstly, however, if there is anything to report about the day today we should address that beforehand." The crowd stayed silent as a couple of seconds passed. Alina's heart raced as she wondered over and over in her mind if she would be accepted or not. Maybe none of them would be and they would all get to keep training together. Maybe her precious friends would try and get them to accept her if she hadn't been. Maybe there was a chance, that even if she wasn't accepted, that she could speak to Virizion and try the dungeon again. She tried to reassure herself by saying she would definitely be accepted because of the unusual circumstance, even if she didn't really believe it herself.

Thoughts raced through her mind, but when Kori placed her paw on Alina's shoulder her attention snapped back to the situation at hand. She nodded her thanks to Kori who smiled back and as she looked back towards the guildmaster Alina noticed that the Eevee was trembling like a leaf.

"Over the past three years these apprentices have been training. They have been learning the ways of the Pokemon world and how to explore. They have been building a bond that even if they were forced to separate, would remain strong for years to come. Today these young Pokemon will be entering a new stage in their life. Today is the day that Ren and Kori are becoming official adventurers."

The crowd cheered as the two Pokemon walked up the base of the rock and sat next to their Masters, who were already in the traditional positions on either side of Virizion. Every Pokemon there had a smile on their face, congratulating the two new adventurers.

"From here on they will be adventurers of the guild and participate in the representation of our name across the continent. Do you, Ren and Kori, accept this responsibility and swear to do the best you can to uphold the guild name." They both nodded furiously, Kori's ears flopping about as she did so. "Then from this moment onwards," she paused as Sakor pulled out two of the guild's bandanas and tied them around the necks of the two Pokemon. "The Pokemon you see before you are official adventurers of the Virizion Guild!"

Cheering rose once again from the crowd as the Absol slowly walked to the edge of the clearing, tears in her eyes. She really hadn't been accepted. It had really happened. She had known there was a chance, but all the doubt and unease inside her seemed obsolete compared to the disappointment she felt now. She had tried her hardest, just like she was supposed to have done, and she would have done just as well as the others if it weren't for that incident.

She thought to herself. _Maybe it's because I'm different. Maybe it's because I really was born differently and there actually is something wrong with me._ She began to sob at the edge of the grass, the cheers still ringing across the grove as the guild members congratulated her friends on their accomplishment. Each noise seemed to crash against her eardrums as she muffled the sound of her crying, trying to keep to herself. She closed her eyes and looked at the ground, drops of water falling onto the dirt below her.

She smelled her before she felt her, but her mother nuzzled her shoulder as she turned and cried into her warm chest.

"I tried so hard," she sobbed, "it isn't fair."

"It's alright little one," she cooed and wrapped her tails around both sides of the two of them, creating a sort of cocoon for them. "Worse things have happened before. You will get another chance. Just remember I will always be here for you. I believe in you.

"I'm not sure if I believe in me anymore," wailed Alina, "I was born different and now it's stopping me from doing the things I want to do. I hate that I am like this." Her mother pulled her against her chest using a paw, feeling her daughter's racking sobs against her fur.

"There is always next time." The two of them sat there for quite a while, the night growing dark before they drifted off, both staying on the edge of the clearing and sleeping together. Alina took refuge in the warmth of her mother, snuggling closer as they slept, completely covered by her mother's tails. Though the air grew cold, the Pokemon were warm as the hours ticked onwards and the sun rose once again in the sky.

The next morning Alina padded over to the Adventurers' den, greeting those who were leaving as she passed. Snickers could be heard but she ignored it, she couldn't be bothered to care what people thought of her. At this point she just wanted to congratulate her friends on their achievement. She walked through the curtain of vines to see the two of them sitting in a rounded corner, chatting happily.

"Hi guys!" Said Alina chirpily "Congratulations on becoming adventurers!" They stared at her and Kori looked down at her feet.

"Hey I'm really sorry I-" She was cut off as Alina jumped in.

"No, look it's really alright, I understand, and there is always next time. There's only so much you can do right? No point in worrying about it." She didn't believe it deep down. There was nothing she could do about not being accepted, and she would get more chances to become an adventurer, but it still hurt knowing how unfair it was. There was a pretty good chance that things would go well the next time she went, so she would just have to wait until then.

"Well if you aren't down about it then that's good," said Kori happily. "I was a bit worried you would be quite upset by it. If you are doing alright that makes me feel a lot better about all this."

"What are you going to do now?" Asked Ren. "Will you keep going out and training with Calis and Sakor?" Before she could answer Calis walked up and answered for her.

"She will be going with me from now on, Sakor will be showing you the ropes of being an adventurer for the next couple of days before returning to normal adventurer duties. Alina can you please meet me outside after you are finished in here?" Alina nodded, saying goodbye to her friends and following Calis into the morning air.

"Yes Master Calis?"

"I know you are ready," She said sternly. "I know there is probably a reason that you grew so afraid last time, but I am going to do my best to prepare you for any situation." She lowered her voice and motioned for Alina to come closer. "I thought about this a lot last night, and I believe it would be best for us to train in a dungeon. It is not allowed by the guilds due to how it gives apprentices a false sense of immortality. No Pokemon can die in a mystery dungeon, which means we can train you as hard as possible and enter more dangerous situations than normal locations would allow. It is banned, however, because some Pokemon figure they can revive even out of dungeons due to force of habit. You deserve to be an adventurer Alina, you are more than ready and I think this is the most effective way to keep moving forward and prepare you fully. The immersion in an actual dungeon would be good for you." She paused and let the weight of the offer sink in. Alina was not shocked or upset, and in all honesty she was actually grateful. Calis was risking her honor as an adventurer to help her become one herself. As long as nobody found out, it would also greatly increase her rate of growth.

"We would have to try and have you faint as little as possible. The less you faint the more time you get to spend training and the less influence reviving has on your young mind. The monster house was something you may not have been prepared for, however, I want to give you the most chances possible to encounter similar situations and conquer your fear."

Alina considered the possibilities for only a moment, trusting Calis's judgement.

"I agree. Thank you for the opportunity Master Calis."

"Please, from now on just call me Calis, I would rather you seem like a friend than a student." Alina looked surprised before accepting the offer and looking up at the Liepard.

"When do we begin?" She asked, the thought of being in a dungeon again giving her an excited warmth in her stomach.

"I was planning to leave later today. Can you meet me at midday at the edge of Shin Forest? I have a dungeon I would like to show you."

She sped through the tall grass, leaping over a fallen log, which was rotting away on the ground below her. Calis sat at the edge of the forest and upon Alina's approach she dipped silently into the woods. Alina chased after her, watching her bound through the canopy from branch to branch. Her agility greatly outmatched Alina's, however, the Absol followed as quickly as possible in Calis's footsteps. Suddenly the Liepard slunk back below the branches and came to a halt in front of a small opening in the earth.

Alina came to a stop in front of Calis, looking curiously into the hole. The inside held the same mysterious light as Kalridge Crevasse, and the light illuminated the corridor revealing a tunnel which led down into the ground. A set of stairs trailed into an unseen area Alina assumed was the first floor of the dungeon. Growls emitted from the opening and she stood her ground knowing the Pokemon inside could not leave as they were bound by the strange rules of the dungeons.

"I think I'm the only Pokemon who has found this dungeon thus far, so we should go unnoticed. It's relatively new as far as I know, the ground here is still unsettled from its arrival." She nodded in the direction of a large crack in the ground near the entrance. "The Pokemon in the dungeon also seem to be on a slightly higher level than those in Kalridge. They scale faster as you go down the floors, getting stronger to a significant degree. I will help you where you need, but I believe it would be best for you to experience this alone as often as possible. Lead the way when you're ready." She stepped to the side and Alina began heading down into the gaping rift.

Her eyes snapped open and she gasped for breath, adrenaline still flowing through her body. Calis appeared next to her with a stern look on her face.

"You jumped in headfirst, and though it shows you aren't fearful, it also shows you are immature. Even a one on one when you have no plan of attack won't end well. I tried to help you, but it was too late at that point. Be more thoughtful about your approach. Ready to go again?" Alina leapt to her feet and nodded, heading back down into the dungeon below.

The walls were a light blue, studded with small gemstones which glittered in the provided light. The pathways were more rugged in this dungeon, often taking dips and becoming thin in an unusual pattern, or lack thereof. Alina more cautiously padded into the next room, looking around the moment she entered. She spotted a Misdreavus sleeping in the far corner, and took note that she should do her best to avoid the confrontation, due to the fact that she wanted to be in the dungeon as long as possible before having to return from exhaustion.

The Absol padded slowly past, her footsteps making no noise except for the occasional click of her claws as they made contact too quickly with the ground. She watched as Calis walked casually behind her, still making no sound as she moved. Alina admired the grace and silence of her mentor's movements, appreciating the experience she had. She had never told Alina about her days adventuring so she was unsure of exactly how much experience she had, despite that she still looked up to the elegant Pokemon trailing behind her.

They reached the next path, moving through the lit corridor with less care than they had in the room before it.

"Calis can you teach me to move as silently as you sometime? I am sure there is plenty for me to learn." She waited for a response.

"Yes of course little one, but for now focus on the dungeon at hand," replied Calis and she signaled for Alina to look before her. Alina looked back in front of her and was immediately tense as a Banette appeared through the wall. Alina thought a moment before using a Quick Attack and launching herself at her opponent. She passed straight through the Banette's body as she had expected. Normal moves wouldn't harm the ghost Pokemon which was now behind her. The Banette laughed and turned to face her, hurling a Shadow Ball in the direction of the Absol. She dodged it by bouncing off the wall to her left, and from there she launched herself once again at the Banette. She opened her jaws, focusing her mind and infusing her type into her attack. She used Bite on the ghost Pokemon, knocking it onto the ground. She held it in her jaws, and as she bit down the darkness pierced its skin, inflicting extremely effective damage.

The Pokemon scrambled up off of the ground before floating into the wall next to her. Figuring that the dungeon Pokemon was admitting defeat she padded back to Calis to receive feedback. Calis looked around, still alert.

"Dungeon Pokemon never-" She started to advise before being cut off as Alina was stabbed in the side with a sucker punch. The Banette came back out onto the pathway and began charging a Shadow Ball as he loomed above Alina, who was on her side. She jumped, but Calis had already taken out the Pokemon above her. The Liepard walked back to her to speak and now actually give her feedback.

"As I was saying, dungeon Pokemon never flee unless an adventurer uses a Foe-Fear orb in their presence. Adventurers are not affected by these items, however, all of the dungeon Pokemon in your sight will be. Either way, I should have mentioned this earlier, sorry for not letting you know. Would you like something to heal you before the next battle?" Calis asked. Alina nodded and she reached into her adventurer's pack pulling out one of the dried slivers Alina had remembered making for her acceptance expedition. She took it with thanks and gnawed unbecomingly on the waterless fruit.

The pair continued through the dungeon, each encounter giving Alina a thrill as she passed through the floors, making it to the third before having to leave due to the fading light in the dungeon. As Calis brought them out of the dungeon the light shone orange and the clouds in the sky were illuminated with a beautiful light. The two Pokemon watched as the sun sank lower in the sky, departing from the area and quickly making the journey back to the guild. That night Alina slept well, staying alone in the apprentices' den. She actually appreciated the seclusion of the small area as she thought back on the events of the day.

It had been a longer day than she had anticipated, spending more time in the dungeon than she had in Kalridge. The thought of doing something rebellious also exhilarated her. She was using a crazy method to achieve her goal, and despite knowing it was wrong, she still felt good about it. Nobody could stop her now that she was going to become stronger and start earning the right to become an adventurer. She couldn't wait for the morning, and though it seemed very far away, as soon as her head hit the moss below her, she was in a deep sleep. The exhaustion of the day weighing down on her as she slipped instantly into a dreamless state.

The sun rose, as it does every morning, casting light through the thin vines which covered the mouth of the apprentices' den. The shadows were cast down onto the moss, the empty space losing its warmth as its single resident slipped into the tall grass with her teacher. They pelted as fast as possible through the grass, watching as the world flew by on either side of them. The Liepard, being more agile, was the first to reach the woodland area and she repeated the exercise from the day previously, jumping through the branches above before coming to a halt at the dungeon entrance.

Panting, Alina came to a halt behind her. The second day of her illegal dungeon training was about to begin, and she was not going to let a bit of exhaustion get in the way of her progression. She walked down the stairs onto the first floor, stalking her first opponent who lurked in the hallway before her. She launched herself at the enemy, engaging in battle.

"As an adventurer," explained Sakor, "you have to learn to provide for yourself, and though the guild uses a joint storage unit, everyone has to pull their own weight or the whole system goes under." He walked with Ren and Kori through the center of Muraha, the town beginning to bustle in the early morning rush that was soon to appear. "When adventuring, you will also find items that may or may not be useful to you. Anything you find on your own can be traded in to the shops around town, and you can get money for them. The money you make adventuring can be used to buy items, however, most people put it towards the guild funding, as it does take money to upkeep the grounds."

The two new adventurers looked around, still awed by the sheer size of the tree before them. They padded after the taller humanoid Pokemon, listening intently to him when he spoke, but otherwise taking in the sights around them. They spotted the Timburr construction building, which was advertising construction of housing and guild accommodations.

"When you go adventuring, you usually have something in mind. A reason to go wherever you have planned. Though there is a small amount of profit in simply going and finding rare items, there is more profit in collecting bounties and assisting lost Pokemon. Some civilians go into dungeons, and though they are strong enough to survive they often get lost and can not leave due to the lack of having an adventurer bandana. When this happens they can send a help request and it shows up here." He indicated a bulletin board which had letters attached to it. "Each bounty and help request is given a rating based on the difficulty that it presents. Ratings go from easiest at D rank and the hardest at S rank."

Ren and Kori looked intently at the bulletin board next to the one with all the letters. Wanted posters coated the surface, overlapping at times and each had a picture of a Pokemon on them. The Pokemon looked like normal citizens, to be honest, but the bounties on their heads implied that they were very dangerous.

"What missions would you recommend we try Master Sakor?" Asked Kori.

"Due to you being short a member," He said as he grinned slightly, "You should first embark on D level missions, taking out the weaker criminals and saving Pokemon in easier dungeons. Eventually you will get more experienced and learn new skills intuitively. There is not a lot of risk in going into dungeons that are too difficult, however, you have a chance of losing over half of your items if you faint." The smaller Pokemon nodded in acknowledgment as they continued around the circle which was the town center.

"Here is where you can store items and money if you so choose. You can carry your money on you however it is not recommended because the dungeon will take it the moment one of you faints. You may start your own bank accounts if you would like, and most people have a small sum under their own name simply for personal use." He greeted the Xatu behind the counter with a simple nod and the bird chirped a greeting in reply. "You can find the trading center here as well," he walked along sideways to the next booth. A loudred stood at the counter, shouting out the offers to the Pokemon nearby. "Here," Continued Sakor, "you can put items up for a trade, but this usually involves high value items that are specific to a certain Pokemon. Make sure you get something worth having from a trade, you can often get scammed here so make sure you keep your wits about yourself."

The Pokemon continued through town, Sakor introducing all of the services that Muraha could provide. They walked back over to the job bulletin board and looked at the available jobs.

"Today I'll be joining you on your first mission. I advise that you choose a mission in D rank as well as one that is a social mission instead of a bounty hunt. It is, however, entirely up to you." He waited for a response and though Ren wanted to go on a bounty hunt Kori won him over and convinced him to go and help a Skitty who had gotten trapped in Kalridge Crevasse. "Very well," said Sakor. "Let's go then, the more quickly the better, you never want to be forced to abandon a mission because you run out of dungeon-light."

"This is the floor we left off on yesterday. I am sure you have noticed by now, though, the layout of the dungeon is different from the last time you were in here. Every time someone enters the dungeon, it changes the pathways, corridors, and locations of the stairs. Nobody really knows why they do this, however it is the way things are and we come to accept it. Most Pokemon appreciate it because it keeps old dungeons new and interesting however it also makes finding lost Pokemon harder." Alina nodded and went down the stairs to the fourth floor, the walls of the dungeon changing to a darker blue as she descended.

Two Pokemon sat in the room below her; she jumped over one of them, trapping them both in the same half of the space. She dove towards one of them as it sat in line with the other. The one in front dodged her attack, but she had expected it, and she sank her Bite into the Sableye. The Pokemon screamed and used Fury Swipes on the attacker, sending Alina jumping backwards to avoid the onslaught. The two Pokemon regrouped and the Golett used Rollout, advancing quickly on the Absol. Calis watched from the stairs as Alina jumped over the Pokemon before having to do so again as it advanced for a second time.

Alina thought for a moment before backing up to a wall and waiting for the Pokemon to advance again. As expected it came directly for her but just as it reached her she jumped into the air, watching as it crashed into the wall, becoming dazed. She came back down on the Golett, and used Night Slash, breaking the stone which made up his body in half. The Pokemon crumbled and faded as Alina turned to face her second adversary which was flying towards her, the bite mark still visible on its shoulder. She shifted to the left, its claw scratching down her side before she spun and smacked it into the wall with her tails, flicking them with all her might. The smaller Pokemon was flung against the opposing wall and she ended the fight with a Quick Attack into a Scratch.

Alina stood upright as she admired her handiwork.

"Good," Said Calis, "That is two of many, let us continue."

Arriving at the entrance to the large ravine the three Pokemon paused to review the letter. It held the location, Pokemon in need of saving, and the floor on which they were stuck. The group would be going down to the fifth floor before teleporting out using their bands. They headed down into the cave, entering the dungeon and beginning their expedition. They worked together, Sakor watching from the background, to defeat the Pokemon they ran into. Kori stayed more on the defensive as she helped Ren. Ren took on each Pokemon, one at a time, asking Kori for help when more than one showed up. They tackled, burned, and defeated each Pokemon in their path.

They went down in the dungeon, each Pokemon they faced seeming more easy to defeat, remembering the feeling of adventuring in the cave just a couple of days before. Ren led the mission as he traveled through the floors, the Pokemon they were facing not presenting much of a problem for the group. On the fifth floor the letter glowed for a moment before evaporating into thin air.

"This is the floor then," Said Sakor. "Lead the way." Ren padded casually through the dungeon, not fearing the enemies that might present themselves. After the experience of the floors above they seemed repetitive. They still did take a bit of effort to take out and sometimes he would take a bit of damage which was quickly mended by Kori. She took on smaller Pokemon now and then, using her normal moves on them and keeping her distance when possible.

In a room void of all but one Pokemon the troops found the Skitty they had been looking for. She sat in the corner nervously but upon seeing the bandanas around the necks of the adventurers she smiled and jumped to her feet.

"Oh thank you thank you!" She shouted joyously as she bounded over to thank the adventurers. "I'll pay you once we're back in Muraha. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you." Kori and Ren smiled at the joy of the Skitty, finding pleasure in the appreciation the Pokemon had for the deed they had done. Sakor offered the Skitty his hand and he teleported out of the dungeon. As had been discussed on the way there, the two newer adventurers concentrated on the thought of leaving the dungeon until they were standing outside the entrance. All four of the Pokemon met up and walked back to Muraha as the sun set.

She panted as the Pokemon before her faded from the dungeon floor. Calis landed gracefully in front of her after having just assisted in defeating the opponents. She beckoned to Alina.

"I think it is time to go for today. You made it farther than previously but you've reached your limit." Alina nodded and walked over to Calis who rested her tail on Alina's as they teleported out of the dungeon to the quiet forest. The sky was still quite light, though the amber sun was nearing the horizon, creeping closer to it with each passing moment. Alina followed her mentor to the edge of the forest before she made the slow and tedious trip back to The Grove. They arrived at the grounds as other adventurers were coming back to gather and converse over an evening meal. Alina went to go and find something to eat while Calis disappeared back into the tall grass, holding a berry in her mouth. Alina grabbed a Leppa Berry and an Oran Berry as she followed her elder into the grass beyond.

The two Pokemon sat in relative silence as the Meloetta's songs drifted over the field. The sun sank slowly below the horizon, casting a pink light across the clouds as the night began engulfing the landscape. Both Pokemon gave a parting word as Alina went back to the apprentices' den and Calis to the adventurers'. Ren and Kori were discussing the rewards for completing missions, specifically the one they completed. The day ended peacefully as Alina fell right asleep, exhausted after her second day of intense training. The fatigue she felt faded away as the hours of the night passed. She knew that she would get stronger if she continued this way. The experience she was gaining from being in a dungeon and training against tough Pokemon was going to take her quite far.

"Remember to be aware of your targets!" Shouted Calis as Alina faced off against three of the dungeon Pokemon. She listened for the frantic approach of the one behind her as the other two closed in. Dancing across the floor, she spun over one of their heads, using Scratch on its eyes before landing on the other side. It had been over a month since they had started training here in the dungeon and Alina had become quite accustomed to the battles which had taken place here daily. She bit down on the shoulder of the Pokemon that charged towards her as she dodged its attack, hearing it growl in pain as it reared around. She smashed it against the wall with her tails as the others encroached upon her, the one who had received the attack vaporizing.

She focused her worst memories and experiences into a Dark Pulse, causing the enemy Pokemon to be harmed and flinch in pain, the images piercing their mind momentarily. By the time they had recovered, it was too late. Alina used Sucker Punch on the larger of the two, sending it sprawling before fainting and fading into the air. The other staggered upright, before launching itself blindly at her, its eyes still damaged from earlier. She used Bite on its torso, piercing its chest with her horn as she did so. She flung it to the side relentlessly, having learned to think of the dungeon Pokemon as nothing more than training dummies.

She continued walking through the room and entered the next hallway making sure not to pick up any of the money or items which were strewn about. Calis padded behind her, watching the she-Absol as she tore through the enemy Pokemons' ranks. Alina had made surprisingly quick progress and was now able to quite easily defeat two to three Pokemon on her own, evading close to, if not every, attack as the battle moved along. She had noticed the fighting style of the Absol evolving, however, to a more efficient and brutal stage. She would defeat each enemy before her, relentlessly attacking, often crudely, using sly tricks and maneuvers to outsmart them before tossing them aside.

Calis also noticed that her student had learned to use the terrain to her advantage, making other Pokemon crash blindly into walls or using a surface to spring from one side of the arena to the other. Alina often cornered her adversaries or let them think they had _her_ cornered before dodging their attacks and taking them out swiftly one by one. In the beginning, she had often returned to The Grove with minor injuries such as cuts on her legs or body. The other Pokemon dismissed the injuries after Calis had explained it as the result various mock battles between her and her student. Now Alina often returned unharmed and could complete most of the dungeon before having to head back from exhaustion and a lack of energy left to use specific moves.

Calis had spent one day testing the depth of the dungeon, the floors descending to a high number of fifteen before ending in a large open circle illuminated by an orange stone embedded in the far wall. Alina had been on break that day but when adventuring she had been to the tenth floor on a couple of occasions. She took more time than Calis to defeat the enemies in her path, though not much longer in more recent days. The progress was astounding in Calis's eyes and she gave the credit to the desire of the apprentice to become stronger, as well as the effort she applied when doing so.

Alina walked quietly ahead, leaving the sleeping Pokemon who laid in the room most recently entered. Instead of waking it and engaging in battle Alina padded quietly past to the stairs which descended beside it. The path took her down to the tenth floor, the colors changing from a dark blue into an aqua hue. The Pokemon on this floor often took more time to defeat in the past attempts. Alina walked more cautiously through the room, the dungeon light still bright and strong, leaving no dark corners or hallways. The two moved forward through the dungeon, Alina continuing, though more slowly, to defeat the Pokemon before her.

After a set of three Pokemon, which attacked all at once Alina was knocked backwards, bumping into Calis before apologizing and launching herself fearlessly back at her targets. She returned afterwards, breathing heavily from the exertion, however, she intended to continue going through the corridors to find the next level. She turned to continue as Calis called out.

"Alina, I think it's about time I showed you what the end of this dungeon looks like. If you'd like to have me help you down to floor fifteen, I would be happy to let you experience that joy. You've never officially completed a dungeon before. Every dungeon has an ending room and this one's is worth seeing." Alina turned around and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Could we really do that?" She asked happily. She had heard Ren and Kori talking about the dungeons they had been in, completing their missions and all of the fancy things she wasn't allowed to do yet. She always laughed it off and told them that it was really cool, saying she couldn't wait to do those kinds of things with them. It was true after all, she still remembered being thanked by that Aron and wanted to experience more appreciation just like that.

"Yes of course little one," Calis smiled, noticing that Alina's head was slowly approaching the same height as hers as the days passed. She jumped up to walk beside Alina and the two of them walked onwards, a new vigour filling the Absol's body as she defeated the new opponents with her mentor. The two worked as a team to take on each Pokemon, not having to plan their attacks. Calis already knew the patterns of Alina's movements from a month of observation and could collaborate well with her.

The floors passed slowly and the light began to fade from the dungeon. The two Pokemon ran through the floors, Calis leading the way now, taking each turn full pelt and bounding down the stairs. Alina laughed happily as they passed by confused looking Pokemon, their agility greatly outmatching the dungeon Pokemons'. The stairs down to the fifteenth floor eventually presented themselves in front of the two tired adventurers. Calis stretched slowly, relaxing the muscles she had been using to run through the corridors.

"I would like you to go first," said Calis as she smiled, motioning for Alina to move down the stairs. Alina's eyes sparkled once again in the darkness that was slowly engulfing them. She walked carefully down the dark stairs as the pathway opened up into a massive open room. Shining crystals covered the ceiling, which cast a white light down on the surrounding area . On the far end of the room, the white light merged gently with an orange hue, as a stone sat, sunken into the wall opposite the stairs. Alina walked over to the stone, admiring its beauty as small specks of white light flowed about its inside, swirling and spinning in a majestic flowing pattern.

"This place," said Alina, turning around to look back up at the sparkling ceiling, "is amazing. I always imagined the ending room to the dungeon, but I never thought it could be this magical." The gemstones in the ceiling slowly began changing shades, turning from white to a light blue. Calis watched with her student as the color changed once again into a dark blue before transforming into the same aqua green of the walls from before. It repeated this changing pattern in a mesmerising display.

"When I was here before," said Calis, breaking the silence, "it was still daytime and none of these were here. This is new to me as well. This cave is more amazing than I had imagined."

"I couldn't agree more."

"We should get going soon, the fading light does mean that it's almost nighttime outside. Most of the others will already be back at The Grove."

"Yes," sighed Alina, "I guess you're right. We will have to come again sometime though. It's a shame we can't reveal this to the guild members."

"Indeed. Let's be off then."

"Can't reveal it to the guild members? What a shame." Psychotic laughter filled the chasm, a second set of light engulfed the Hitmonchan, sending him back to the entrance of the dungeon as darkness blanketed the continent.

After another day of hard training Alina teleported with Calis out onto the daylit ground. The sun was still visible in the sky, but only barely, as the two Pokemon padded back to the guild grounds.

"You did well today Alina, your moves were more fluid than yesterday."

"Thanks Calis," She said, pleased by the adoration of her elder. "I tried my best to tie attacks together and think about connecting the movements instead of the strength of them. I find that the strength of them comes more as a habit now to be honest."

"That's good. With a little more practice I think you could be quite a graceful fighter. Your strength is unbelievable, and each of your attacks hits with an immense amount of power. You're also becoming less predictable. So congratulations on that too." The two of them quieted as they drew closer to where other Pokemon might hear them, not wanting to give any accidental inclinations as to where they may have been training.

Silence covered the area even as they approached, a sense of unease resting on the air. They walked out of the long grass cautiously, looking before them as everyone in the guild sat facing the entrance. Both Pokemon froze, looking around at the glares and unpleased faces they were met with. A wave of fear washed over Alina as she waited for someone to make a move.

"What's all this?" Asked Calis as she began to move again, walking into the limelight.

"This," Virizion said coldly, "is the last memory you will have being in this guild. You have been training your apprentice in the dungeon that appeared recently in Shin Forest. Rumors of its existence have been floating around Muraha, and when Sakor investigated the area he discovered you two training inside it. To make sure, I sent a small team to the area and sure enough, they came back saying that they had seen you enter it without a second thought. I don't know how long you have been training in the dungeon, but either way, it's illegal and I won't allow you to tarnish the guild's name. I built this guild from the ground up and I won't have you shaming it."

Alina came to sit by her teacher's side and she leaned against her for support as she looked down at the ground, the blood leaving her face. Calis wrapped her tail around the Absol and pressed into her in return.

"There is no home left for the two of you here. Say goodbye to whoever you want, but by the morning I expect both of you gone. Calis you'll leave your bandana on the Pinnacle Rock as a sign of your departure. Good luck, and I wish you all the best."

"There must be some other consequence. If anything it was my idea, I influenced her and told her she had to train in the dungeon. I wanted her to succeed, it is not her doing, but mine. Please Virizion…" Calis pleaded with the guildmaster as the light continued to fade from the sky. The guildmaster bowed her head, ignoring the pleas and the crowd dispersed. Alina ran to her mother who waited for her approach. She laid shaking against her furry chest, trying to find solace in the comfort of the familiar Ninetales.

"I'm sure you have your reasons Alina, but I can't tell you what you have done is ok. But even though this has happened, I still love you. I will _always_ love you." She nuzzled her between the ears and let her gain her composure in her embrace.

"Thank you mom," she replied, wishing she could stay in her mother's presence forever, not wanting to leave the comfort of familiarity. Alina had known there was a chance someone would find out, but she had never imagined the consequence would be getting kicked out of the guild. All of the effort she had put into training over the past months had been for nothing. She hadn't only been refused the option to become an adventurer of the Virizion guild, but the right to being a member altogether. The weight of her decision had finally fallen down on her as she took in the consequences. She knew that there were other guilds, but it wasn't about being in a guild, but being in a guild with the other Pokemon there. Her friends, family, and others she knew. That's what she couldn't bear leaving.

The time came for her to move on from her mother, and she passed through the grounds to where her two friends sat in front of the apprentice den.

"So you couldn't do it the normal way like everyone else huh?" Asked Ren with a tone of hostility. "Did you really think it would just be OK, and that you were an exception or something? Yeah you were born differently but that doesn't mean the rules don't apply to you."

"I…" Alina trailed off, not knowing what to say to her brother as he verbally attacked her, the fire on his tongue piercing her mind. "Calis said it was the best way, and I trusted that she knew what I should do to become an adventurer. I just wanted to join you two so badly." She looked down at the ground as her eyes welled up with tears.

"It's alright we-" Kori was cut off abruptly by Ren.

"No, it's not alright, and _we_ don't have anything to say about it other than that. I'm disappointed sis. I thought we might be able to adventure together someday as a trio. You proved me wrong though, which is a first." He smirked, a tiny bit of the compassion from their childhood returning to his demeanor. "It isn't my decision to make and I think everyone deserves a second chance, but the guildmaster runs things around here, you know that. Good luck out there." Kori padded up to Alina and pressed against her.

"I-I think everything happens for a reason, and I'm sure you have a reason too. Come visit someday alright? When all of this has blown over," whispered Kori as tears filled her eyes.

"I will," she responded, the relief that her friends had at least partially forgiven her easing her tense mind. She knew she could come back and find them in the future. She would just have to train on her own for a while and find a _new_ guild with _new_ friends and start a _new_ life. Maybe no other guilds would take her after what she had done, but that was the least of her worries at the moment.

Her two friends padded off towards the Adventurer's den, her father casting a sideways glance in her direction, his eyes portraying no emotion, before disappearing into the hanging vines. She walked over to where Calis sat, the Liepard looking down at the ground.

"I never thought it would come down to this," she said, shaking her head. "I have really made a mess for you. I knew if we were caught I might get kicked out of the guild, but I always thought she would let me take the blame and let you stay. Now we're both being forced to leave." She removed the Bandana from around her neck and padded slowly over to the Pinnacle Rock. The surface lay barren until she left the light blue fabric on its edge. Calis came back over to Alina, apologizing quietly before sitting and resting her head on the Absol's shoulder. Silently the both of them sat, a light rain falling from Calis's eyes as the minutes ticked by. Alina nuzzled her teacher, who seemed more like a friend now than ever before. The two of them walked slowly to the edge of The Grove, the moonlight sending light shadows across the clearing. Virizion's head was visible and she watched the two Pokemon leave disappointedly before returning to the Guildmaster's quarters.

With the night came a chill which sunk deep into Calis's core. Alina had never been one to feel cold, and walked pressed against her friend's side. They found a clear patch under an apple tree, the grass growing shorter in that area. The two Pokemon brought piles of the long grass, dried pieces of it forming a large mound. Calis jumped onto it, flattening it down into a relatively large bed, the two of them curling up side by side. The cold of the evening didn't reach the two of them as they shared body heat, Calis appreciating the unusual warmth of the younger Pokemon as they laid beneath the stars. Hours passed slowly, the shining pelt spinning lazily around the sky.

"Are you still awake?" Calis's voice broke through the night's silence.

"Yes" came the reply. "Can't sleep?"

"I think you should go back to the guild and try and convince them you were forced to train in the dungeon. I don't mind seeming like a bad Pokemon, as long as you get to return to your family and friends." Silence followed the generous offer.

"I don't want to lie to them Calis, they are all people I care for. I helped us into this mess and I don't think it would be fair for you to have to suffer the consequences alone. Even if I did…" She paused, "I would miss you." Alina pressed against her friend, the bond that had been forming between them over the past months only growing stronger.

"Thank you little one." Calis purred contentedly, the harsh reality of being kicked out of the guild seeming not as bad at the side of someone who really cared about her. "I'd miss you as too."

They pair fell into a peaceful slumber, the day's harsh penalties seeming to fade with their consciousnesses. The moon shone above them, the white and purple Pokemon forming a small circle under the apple tree. Shadows danced across the two of them as a breeze blew the leaves of the tree above them, moonlight moving quickly over the peaceful scene. Morning came with little warning, the sun high in the sky before either Pokemon stirred. Alina opened her eyes, looking around, expecting the walls of her den, but the only sight was an expansive grassy field with a sprinkling of trees in the area.

The memories came crashing back to her as Calis moved at her feet, stirring from her slumber, awakening to the same shocking realization as Alina before calming. Both Pokemon silently cherished the memory of early morning in The Grove as the sun shone down on the pair of them. Calis stretched, her thin limbs stretching above her head. She gingerly reached out in front of her.

"Good morning little one," said Calis affectionately, jumping up into the tree above. "How're you feeling this fine morning?" An apple dropped beside Alina and she stopped it with her foot, another landing a foot away. Alina looked puzzledly at the fruit in front of her.

"I'm doing alright thank you and why have you gotten two apples? Apprentices aren't allowed to-"

"You aren't an apprentice anymore Alina, and I am not an Adventurer. We have no rules to abide by as rogue Pokemon. We can do as we please, try and find a guild, or go it alone. All are viable," she jumped down from the tree and prodded the fruit. "I wanted to know what you thought would be best for us. I was intending to join you on whatever path you chose."

"You really want me to decide?" Alina asked in surprise, not knowing what she should say to being offered the opportunity to make such an important decision. "I'm not really sure to be honest. I don't want to dash our chances of returning to Virizion's guild, and if there ever was a time we could go back I would want to take it." She looked glumly at the ground, feeling somewhat confused at her current lack of a place in the world. "If I had to say anything however, I would want to become an adventurer still, maybe…in a different guild."

Calis nodded and began eating the apple as Alina followed suit, savoring the early meal which was unusual for her. The thought, though somewhat daunting, of being unbound by rules was a bit attractive in Alina's eyes. She could do the same things adventurers could now and not get in trouble for it like going in dungeons and having a meal early in the morning. Alina noticed that the day was not exactly in its morning phase anymore; the sun having risen into the sky high above their heads.

"Where do we start?" Asked Calis, considering the guilds in the area, the only ones she had heard about being Zoroark's guild and Blaziken's guild. Both Pokemon had experienced how harsh Zoroark's guild members were and the mindset they held towards the Virizion guild after the event with the Lairon. "I think Blaziken's guild would be a good start," said Calis as she ruled out Zoroark's guild due to its harsh practices. "Would you like to go now?" Alina shook her head.

"I want to give it a bit more time. I don't think I'm ready to join another guild just yet. I think we should go and talk with the guildmaster to see if there is a chance of us being allowed back in." Calis sighed but nodded, knowing Virizion's stubborn tendencies. Calis did, however, want the Absol to feel as if she had done all there was to do. Thusly, she allowed the visit to be paid. After a short sprint back to The Grove, Alina came to a halt at the main entrance, not knowing exactly how to enter, considering she was no longer a member or how she would be greeted.

"You dare show your faces here again?" Snarled a voice to the side of them, the harshness startling the uneasy Absol. A Zigzagoon crouched menacingly before them, his fur sticking out on end and his claws pierced the dirt. Calis dismissed his aggression with a flick of her tail. Though he knew well enough that she could easily outmatch him, it did not distill the hostility in his eyes as he watched them through the entrance into the clearing.

"Virizion?" Called Calis, her unwelcome cry ringing across the guild grounds. All of the present guild Pokemon looked over, whispering and sneering at the two rogue Pokemon in the center of the clearing. "Alina wanted a word with you if that would be alright." Alina's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Calis. What had she meant that _she_ wanted a word with her? Was she going to have to speak with her alone, or worse in front of all the guild's Pokemon? These thoughts flew through Alina's mind as Virizion stepped out onto the pinnacle rock looking sternly down at the two on the ground below.

"I have already made up my mind!" Bellowed Virizion, causing Alina to shrink back. "To be banned from the guild is one thing, but to return to it the day after begging for forgiveness is pitiful! I will not be accepting either of you back into the guild, not now or in the future. Good day to you both and do not return here again." She stormed off of the rock back into her den as the Pokemon around began snickering. Alina looked down at the ground as she padded behind her friend to the entrance. As soon as they had left the guild grounds the Zigzagoon's voice rang out again.

"And stay out!"

Virizion sat down in her den and sighed, dropping the angry facade.

"Good luck Alina, I know this is hard for you but it is for the best. You need to get away from this atmosphere." She rested her head on her legs and relaxed in the shade of her den. "You'll unlock your potential someday."


	3. Awakening

**Awakening**

The the two of them began the trip north as they started on their way to Blaziken's guild. It had been three days since the second rejection and Alina was feeling slightly more prepared to enter into another guild. The trip was surprisingly short, despite the slow traveling speed, and the two of them soon arrived at the jagged edge of the guild grounds. Sharp rocks jutted out of the ground irregularly, a large opening creating the entrance to the pit. The inside of the guild was actually below ground level, warm stones and fires glowing around the circular enclosure. The two rogue Pokemon walked slowly to the front entrance before a Charmeleon stopped them and spoke in a harsh and officious voice.

"What business do you have with Blaziken's guild?"

"We are two rogue Pokemon who want to become a part of a guild again, we were interested in enrolling here."

"You don't look like fire Pokemon to me."

"Well no, I suppose we aren't, but I thought the rumors about Blaziken only accepting fire Pokemon were false."

"No. It's not a rumor," stated the Charmeleon as he puffed out his chest, "it's a fact. We accept no Pokemon that aren't at least half fire type. So get lost!" The Charmeleon waved his flaming tail at them aggressively as the two Pokemon turned and walked back into the field from whence they came. Once they were a reasonable distance away Calis provided an explanation for her puzzled face.

"I had heard rumors about that being the case, but I never imagined they might actually be true. That leaves Zoroark's guild I suppose. Is it worth going and checking?" Calis looked concernedly at Alina who shook her head, shuddering at the idea.

"No I would rather be a rogue Pokemon than join forces with that horrible guild." She shuddered just thinking back to the Zorua. "Definitely not."

The two Pokemon returned to their resting place, taking refuge in the shade of the tree as it cast its shadow over their matted bed.

"What do we do as rogue Pokemon?" Asked Alina, genuinely wondering what there was to do after having lounged around and wallowed in self pity for the past couple of days. She had no goal to achieve anymore, instead of trying to become an adventurer she felt a sort of hole and a lack of purpose.

"Even as a rogue Pokemon," began Calis, "You can complete jobs for others. When you become an adventurer, you're shown the jobs bulletin in Muraha, which is where requests for help as well as bounties are posted. Adventurers often go there in the morning to find a job they want to complete. Each job has a reward bounty for rescuing or eliminating a Pokemon. When adventurers perform jobs they can teleport out of the dungeon, but since we don't have bandanas we can't simply leave after completing a mission and must finish the dungeon. This is the risk of adventuring as a rogue Pokemon and it's how most rescue requests appear. Some of the town's people also get stuck in dungeons due to foolish pursuit of a goal or item. Lets not make the same mistake." The informative lecture sparked a memory in Alina. She could be helpful and appreciated!

Alina's excitement grew as the two Pokemon left for Muraha, finding the path from one of the guilds towards the town and following it as it led to the large Willow at the center. Calis led Alina over to the Jobs board. Various papers in a variety of conditions covered the surface. Many of the papers were ripped and burned while others were crisp and new looking. Two types of notices were posted as well, creating an interesting variety of colors and shapes. On the left there were pictures of normal looking Pokemon with 'Wanted' written above their heads. There were also values below the pictures, which Calis later explained were bounties.

"When you are doing a job for a Pokemon who is stuck in a dungeon, they generally expect someone who is a part of a guild to come and rescue them. When someone shows up without a bandana they have to escort them to the end of the dungeon before they can teleport out. This can often present a sort of awkward situation, and also presents prolonged periods of danger to the Pokemon whom you are escorting. This is still an option, however, as it is possible to assist the Pokemon in need despite the handicap. The best option for us, I assume, is assassination missions, as some outlaws, ranging from thieves to murderers need taking down. When in a dungeon they will not die so they often take shelter inside the rooms of dungeons until their face disappears from the notice boards. When you take one down they will be fainted outside when you return return to the top. This is when you should call the moderators of the area and they will come pick up the outlaw as well as give you a reward. I think this would work well for us, seeing as we would not have to protect an under-experienced Pokemon. This would probably benefit our productivity on more than one front."

Alina looked intensely at the photos posted as Calis had been talking. Each paper had a letter stamped in the top right corner, some had plus signs and other had minuses however each had a letter. When Alina inquired what they were, Calis explained that they represented the difficulty of the mission, D rank being the easiest and S rank being the hardest. Alina studied the outlaw board, a Metang ranked A- standing out in particular.

"Where does it say what these Pokemon have done? I wouldn't want to have someone arrested for something they did on accident." Alina looked worriedly at Calis.

"Pokemon who do things on accident get forgiven and are not considered outlaws. Pokemon that _run_ from the things they did are generally considered outlaws, because it shows they are conscious of the consequences they will have to face." Calis nodded back towards the bulletin. "All of these Pokemon have done something worth being at least investigated for." Alina returned her gaze to the board, looking once again for someone she might be able to take down on her own.

"Come on!" Called Ren as he raced off into the dungeon before him, eager to complete the day's mission. Kori quickly ran up to him from behind as they encountered the first dungeon Pokemon. They were on a B- ranked mission that day, having moved up in the levels of mission over the past couple of months. The dungeon was called the Forest Basin, a water type dungeon which could easily be completed by most adventurers. The two had chosen a rescue mission, having decided to go and save a Charmander who was stuck on one of the levels.

Three Krabby emerged from the tunnel to Ren's right. He wasn't particularly used to fighting three Pokemon at once but he knew he wouldn't have to. Kori jumped to his side as they attacked simultaneously, outmatching the weak dungeon Pokemon after a short battle. The two had been in this dungeon before, the Krabby, Wooper, and Ducklett, which tended to inhabit the area, no longer intimidating them. It was a simple task to move on through the dungeon and they found the Charmander on the sixth floor. They were thanked by the embarrassed Pokemon, who happened to be quite young. Kori figured that was the reason for his inability to pass through the entire dungeon. The three teleported out of the dungeon, gathering back at the surface before returning to Muraha.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying themselves, as they only had to complete one mission a day at most. There were no regulations on how many missions they _had_ to complete in to stay adventurers, but Ren did enjoy trying to do one a day. It was a healthy balance he figured, to do enough, but not too much. Now and then his dream to become the richest adventurer pricked his mind and prodded him, encouraging him to do more than he was. He ignored it for the most part, only letting it compel him to complete the current dungeon, as opposed to going back and choosing a second task for the same day. Life as an adventurer was beginning to seem a little bit less amazing, but he was still yet to experience the thrill of an expedition.

Sometimes new dungeons would appear and guilds would get to explore them. Alina and Calis had been found training in a new dungeon but apparently nobody had ever been to the bottom of it. They had asked Sakor what the end was like, but he had told them he had only been a couple of floors down when he had seen three white fluffy tails disappearing onto the floor below. Only a select few were going, however there was going to be a minor expedition. Two groups of three would be going into the dungeon, finding the way to the bottom, and meeting in the final room. If there was more to explore after the ending room, they would return later with a larger number of Pokemon, most likely all ten of the guild's adventurers, to explore the remainder.

Ren had caught word of this and was not worried about being chosen. He knew that Kori and himself were two of the most obvious choices, having never been given the opportunity to go on a real expedition before. This was also a minor expedition due to its survivability, proven by Alina's ability to train in the first couple of floors. _If Alina could take down the Pokemon there_ thought Ren _I could too_. Plus he had been completing other dungeons for months now while she had been training in the same one over and over. He figured he had more dungeon experience, and though he wasn't wrong, he had less experience fighting the Pokemon in the dungeon where the expedition was taking place.

Ren sat up in the grass as he heard the sound of the Aipom dropping from the trees, fruit being piled onto the icy stone. He padded over, Kori in tow, and grabbed a large Razz berry, it's red color seeming faded in the dying light of the sun. The two ate happily together, chatting with Sivant who had come by to deliver the guild's mail. It was peaceful without Alina, and in all honesty a lot of the Pokemon seemed to be pleased she was gone. Calis would be missed by many of the adventurers, but as Ren knew, there were still a lot of negative feelings most Pokemon associated with the unusual Absol. Nobody seemed deeply troubled by it, other than her mother, who had fallen into a slump of sorts, doing her best to hide her unhappiness by continuing to adventure at her husband's side.

Most things were going just as well as before, no activity having been disturbed by the absences. The Meloettas' music drifted over the grass as it often did in the evenings. The Pokemon gathered before the Pinnacle rock, waiting for Virizion to speak.

"Good evening everyone," She said as the melody drifted through the air. "Before we receive reports of today's happenings I would like to announce the date of the expedition to Brindle Mine, the new dungeon recently discovered by Sakor. The date of the group's leaving will be in a week's time. I will announce who'll be going on the expedition three days beforehand. Do your best these next days in order to be picked. Is there anything to report?"

"Alina and Calis were seen trying to enter Blaziken's guild but the sentry, having thought up a quick excuse, turned them away. Blaziken sent someone giving his thanks for the warning and has said he will inform you if any similar situations arise. That is all." The assistant guildmaster bowed his head to Virizion as his report finished.

"Thank you Furfrou. If there is nothing else to report, I would like to wish you the best of luck in your next day's travels. Good night," finished Virizion and the crowd dispersed. The two Pokemon padded anxiously over to the Adventurer's den, conversing when they got there.

"I had no Idea it would be so soon!" Blurted Kori excitedly.

"We have to do extra missions in order to make sure we're picked, ok?" Replied Ren, the shock of its fast approach making him more on edge about the selection process.

"Yeah, let's do our best alright?"

"Sounds like a plan!" And with that the two Adventurers went off to sleep.

Alina carefully walked down the jagged steps, the stones underneath her feet shining purple as she and Calis descended. The wanted paper in Calis's bag glowing and disintegrating as they set foot on the eighth floor. The Metang flung itself at Alina and Calis, catching them off guard. Their reflexes kicked in as Alina jumped out of the way and Calis spun around, kicking it, using the Pokemon's body as a platform to dive to the side. The outlaw was pinned between the two invaders and it growled, fear slowly rising inside it as it saw the unfazed composure of the Liepard before him.

In his time as an outlaw, a couple of Pokemon had come to try and defeat him, all snarling and flinging themselves aggressively in his direction. The Absol was in a fighting stance and was probably the less experienced of the two. The Liepard, however, was simply sitting and cleaning her fur, waiting for a move to be made. He knew she was the one to be feared, confidence flowing from her purple body.

Alina flung herself at the outlaw, catching it unawares as it was busy looking at Calis. Calis sat and watched as Alina bit onto one of the Belrom, which made up the Metang's body. The Metang roared in pain, using Bullet Punch on the attacking Absol. Alina released her grip, the darkness infused with her Bite sinking into the Metang for increased damage. Her side stung as she skidded to a halt, facing her opponent. She knew she had won that trade, her opponent now limping from the damaged limb while she was only going to have a bruised side. She danced around the Metang, moving gracefully from side to side, her fighting stance relaxing and becoming more natural. She jumped above the Metang only to spin and push off of the ceiling, coming down directly on top of him, the tackle pressing him into the ground. Alina quickly used Bite again on the other limb, chomping down harder than before now that she had a proper hold on the enemy. The Metang roared as it focused before using Zen Headbut, knocking Alina into the air above it. She was given no time to move before the next attack came, a Metal Claw. The attack raked across her exposed stomach, flinging her to the side as she landed on the ground. Blood dripped from her abdomen and she growled across the open space. Her composure however, was an act as she focused all of her darkest thoughts and emotions into a Dark Pulse, which she emitted once her Quick Attack had brought her closer to the outlaw. She spun head over heels as she smashed her tails onto the head of the Metang, pressing it into the ground and she landed behind it. As the stunned Pokemon lay on the ground, she used a Quick Attack in its direction once again, slamming into it, her horn cracking the stone, splitting it under the damaging attack. The Metang spun around wildly.

"I will not lose to someone like you!" He roared, "You aren't even an adventurer!" Calis watched as the Metang charged at Alina, another Zen Headbut charging in the top of its body. Alina dodged the attack gracefully, intending for the Metang to smash into the wall like the other Pokemon before her had. He skidded to a halt and launched himself once again at the Absol, intercepting her in mid air.

"I know all your little tricks," he said as he smashed her into the wall beside him. She struggled to get up again as he neared. "I have killed many Pokemon in the past. One more nameless Pokemon means nothing to me." He walked slowly forwards toward Alina knowing her defeat was coming. The sickening laughter filled the dungeon room as a grin spread across his face. The Zorua flashed before Alina's eyes, the image of the horrible pleasure invading her thoughts. She shrunk back from the dark memory, now feeling as if she was the helpless Aron.

The Metang raised one of its arms, ready to smash the body of the white Pokemon before him. Alina closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact but nothing came. She opened her eyes to see the Pokemon fading into the air and Calis standing by it's side.

"You were close, and I know you can not die in a dungeon, but there is still much room for improvement. You seemed to simply give up in the end, which was unusual for you, however, I am sure you have your reasons. How are you feeling?" Asked Calis as she came over. Alina stumbled forward, falling onto her side again before being fed a couple of Oran berry slices. The fruit instantly refreshed her as her wounds sealed. She quietly marveled at Calis's silent strength as she had quietly taken out the Pokemon before her in an instant. The two completed the dungeon in silence and when they returned to the surface the fainted Metang appeared before them.

"So now do we tell the peacekeepers?" Asked Alina, interested in the bounty collecting process.

"That's the plan anyways, I'll be back shortly," Calis dashed off and vanished into the field beyond. Alina waited only a moment before Calis returned, a Heracross at her heels. The Metang was taken away and since they were rogue Pokemon they were given the bounty as soon as they got back to Muraha, instead of their Guild. The Heracross had looked surprised when two new rogue Pokemon had taken down an A- ranked criminal, but nonetheless payed them what they were due.

Back at the resting tree Alina counted the money in the light of the fading star. Only a quarter of the money shown on the bounty had been given to them, the reward having been reduced due to their lack of need for upkeeping a guild. Normally guilds need money to keep functioning properly and pay for the area of land they are occupying, however, as a rogue Pokemon that necessity is negated. Therefore the prize money is reduced to one quarter of its original value. Alina wasn't disappointed however, as she had completed her first mission. Calis had helped, but with a little more experience, she figured she could probably take down targets like that one on her own.

Time passed and the light faded completely from the sky, Alina having been left alone for the time being as Calis went back to Muraha with the money. The melody of singing Meloetta floated over the hills and the daily serenade caressed the Absol's happy thoughts. _Maybe being a rogue Pokemon wasn't so bad after all?_ She wondered as she drifted off to sleep under the Apple tree. The air around her warmed as her body increased the surrounding temperature and Calis soon joined her, the money stored safely in a bank account. Calis had managed to open one just before the stand had closed for the night. She joined Alina in the dream world, as Pokemon all around the continent began to accept the sleep which came so easily after a long day's work, and all was peaceful.

Alina woke to the sound of soft rustling in the grass, Calis's tail poking up out of the tall strands. She slowly pushed herself onto her haunches, the straw bed feeling soft beneath her paws. The rustling continued as Calis slowly approached a large moving patch of grass, her tail dipping below the level of the leaves as she concealed herself. The patch of moving grass drew closer, its sheer size making Alina wonder what the source could possibly be, craning her neck to try and catch a glimpse of the approaching Pokemon. Calis jumped back in surprise as multiple broke through the grass in front of her, their yelps of surprise revealing the careless nature of their voyage.

The large group of Pokemon who were now visible came to a halt and shuffled about curiously, now acutely aware of the Pokemon in front of them. Calis walked slowly back to Alina and sat down in the straw, leaving the path clear for the band of guild Pokemon. The Pokemon passed the duo, not minding their gaze as they brushed the crowd with their perceptive eyes. Alina watched the large and small creatures rustle through the grass, not one of them donning a bandana. The tail of a Poochyena vanished into the grass beyond, the last of them having passed.

"Huh… " commented Alina, having just watched either a large band of random, unaffiliated Pokemon traveling off the beaten path, or a group of some sort. Calis nodded in agreement, continuing to mill about before clambering into the now hardly fruitful apple tree. Two small and slightly unappetizing apples dropped onto the ground and she began her breakfast, the tasteless, mushy fruit providing little sustenance and she quickly cast it aside, deciding it would probably be best to get something more fresh later in the day from Muraha.

"What do you think that could've been?" Asked Alina, as she tried to rinse the taste of the apple from her taste buds.

"That could have been the band of Pokemon I've heard about once or twice. Apparently there is a large group of rogues who stay out of people's way and live on their own. They are said to be a bit scary at times though so I wouldn't want to get involved."

Alina grew curious, the idea of a suspicious rogue tribe catching her interest. Not a whole lot had happened in the past month that she had been a rogue Pokemon. Every day she had gotten up and gone into a dungeon to attempt fairly simple missions. Progress in her fighting was slower now than before, the skills she already knew becoming more refined but no new ones entering her repertoire. The strange occurrence was something she was more than ready for, having grown tired of the repetition by that point, her young mind always yearning for more interesting activities.

She took off into the grass after the band of unaware rogues, their nonchalant saunter not having advanced them very far through the field. Calis didn't bat an eye, knowing the agility of her friend wouldn't allow her to get into any serious trouble. Alina approached the back end of the group, jumping to a low hanging branch of a leafy tree and watching the ongoings from above. The group had paused for some reason, the Pokemon looking gruff but pleasant as they chatted and laughed together.

Alina crept forward through the branches, her claws gripping the soft bark as she shifted her weight and found her balance. The conversations drifted through the field, her ears not catching much, but she heard enough to know that the conversations were nothing out of the ordinary. The idea intrigued her, honestly, the idea of a rogue Pokemon still having a band of others to adventure with. She reassured herself that of course she loved Calis for all that she was. She was, after all, her closest friend, but the pull of a family environment was quite tempting, to say the least.

She wanted to talk more to Calis about them, creeping down from her current spot. She froze and butterflies filled her stomach as a female Ninetales accompanied by a small Vulpix milled about the group of rogue Pokemon. The ninetales looked over in the direction of Alina, the tree providing little cover as she was upside down on the trunk. The Ninetales smiled at her and giggled at the sight of an Absol in such a strange position on a tree. Alina blushed furiously, feeling quite embarrassed and raced off back to the dying apple tree.

"Yes?" Asked Calis as Alina approached, knowing that there would be questions about the mysterious band.

"Who are those Pokemon? And I mean, sure, they look a bit rough around the edges, but they are nice enough… I think."

"And what brought you to that conclusion?"

"Well one of them smiled at me… I suppose…"

"I told you before, I've only heard about them a couple of times, but from what I have heard, they're bad news. Yes, they generally go unnoticed, but they've supposedly been involved in some pretty unpleasant activities. Steer clear of them would be my advice."

"But she seemed so friendly! She smiled just like mother…" Alina trailed off and Calis sighed, having seen the Ninetales as they passed previously.

"We can go talk to them about entering, if you really want. I don't feel good about it, but I'll do it for you. Alina's eyes shone with gratitude and she nodded vigorously at the Liepard, wanting to join in on the warm atmosphere of the rogue Pokemon group once again.

"Come with me then," Alina smiled and dashed off into the grass towards her new potential comrades.

Upon arrival Alina came to a halt and she waited tentatively for Calis to join her. The large band of Pokemon began to stir and murmur before one spoke up.

"You there! Come out, there's no use hiding." Alina crept forward and came into the small clearing where the Pokemon were gathered. Calis walked casually behind her and came to sit behind the Absol.

"Hi everyone… I… I um…" stammered Alina nervously.

"What do you want?" snapped a feisty Bagon, the dragon speaking for the whole group. Calis stepped up beside Alina and kindly spoke in her stead.

"We were wondering if we could maybe join the band that you have. It seems to my friend here that at least some of you are kind, and she wanted to at least try being a part of a larger group again." Calis paused and waited for a response, Alina letting out a huge sigh of relief at not having to vocalize her embarrassing enthusiasm.

"Who are you anyways?" Asked the Bagon, the members of the rogue group staying quiet while the encounter continued.

"I'm Alina, and this is Calis." She piped more confidently than before. "We're rogue Pokemon, but I thought it might be nice to… you know… have a group to be around again." She stopped and grew slightly flustered again, not wanting to admit she had really been drawn to the Pokemon which looked like her mother.

"Well I don't see why not." The Pokemon in the group mumbled agreements and nodded separately. "Then it's settled. Come join us for a while and if you don't like it, then you can go. We don't have rules like a guild, we are just like minded Pokemon who travel together and do as we please. You are free to come and go at your leisure."

Alina looked up from the ground and her expression grew slowly more excited as the information sunk in. She looked back at Calis and the Liepard smiled in return, the conversation picking up again as the Pokemon relaxed and returned to their normal activities. Several Pokemon approached Alina and her friend, asking questions for the next hour or so as the group began to meander further into the wilderness towards the coast.

The Ninetales walked up to Alina, smiling kindly at her as she had before. Alina was shocked only for a moment before smiling back and chirping a happy greeting.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"Hi, I'm Nari, and you're Alina I suppose." She smiled once again at the slightly irregular Absol. "Where'd you get those tails from, little one?" She asked casually, not wanting to seriously delve too far into a subject that may potentially be sensitive.

"Oh these?" She chirped with an unwavering facade as a prick of fear prodded her mind, "I was just born this way, but it doesn't seem to bother anyone. It's just always been that way." Alina knew she was lying to someone who might be a new friend, but she didn't want the other Pokemon to think it was something to judge her for, like her last guild had.

"Well I think they're pretty," she flicked her tails over next to Alina's. "Kinda look like mine, actually." Alina stayed quiet for only a second before resuming casual chatter with the Ninetales. Nari was from the northern part of the continent, much farther North than Alina had ever dreamed of going, or at least that's how Nari made it sound. Alina explained that she had come from the Virizion guild and her family was still there. To her surprise, nobody asked why she had been kicked out, but after asking the Bagon to show her the ropes, she learned that it was common courtesy not to ask about the reason for becoming a rogue Pokemon.

The grass began to thin as the Ninetales laughed with Alina over her position in the tree as their eyes had met earlier. Alina would never admit that the encounter had been the reason for her joining the band of Pokemon, but it was funny all the same. The sun shone low over the large, arcing horizon, the edge of the world bending across Alina's field of vision. From the top of the cliff Alina could watch the expansive ocean stretched far out, without pause or interruptions. Her eyes shone in the orange light of the setting sun as it reflected off the water and continued to illuminate the sky. Pokemon on the beach far below them watched the light as it faded from the sky, and the band of rogues drew their daily traveling to a close.

"Alright everyone time to set up camp." Shouted the Bagon, as the Pokemon around him began to move around. Nari came over to the Absol and walked her to a patch of long grass.

"Setting up camp is easy, just grab some long grass and make yourself a bed near the rest of the band. Sleep near whoever you want, but if you have nobody else I am happy to help keep you warm." The ninetales gave another heartwarming smile and gestured to a small group of Pokemon, the vulpix being one of them.

"I'll ask Calis if she wants to join us, but I'd enjoy that very much." After she responded, Alina managed to get Calis to come sleep with her and the other Pokemon. They gathered enough long grass for the two of them and came over to the others for the evening.

"Hey Nari?" Whispered Alina, as they lay back to back, Calis asleep in Alina's warm presence. "Why do some Pokemon think you guys are dangerous? You don't do anything you aren't supposed to right?"

"Well, no not really," came a soft reply. "It is easy to blame any odd occurrences on our group, simply because it is so unusual to find such a number of rogue Pokemon as this traveling as one. Some of the Pokemon here may have done some really bad things, we're all rogues for a reason, but I don't think we're bad Pokemon."

Alina relaxed and accepted that her mind had already been made up. She wanted to stay with these Pokemon who accepted her and didn't look at her through harsh glares, but were at least neutral in her presence. Sure, some had been skeptical, but nobody had been rude to her about her appearance, nor as far as they knew, had they been rude to Calis in any way. It was a lovely substitute for a guild she though, and with the new confirmation from Nari, she could convince Calis it was ok to stay.

"Thanks Nari. I'm really glad I found you guys today. Sleep well," Alina responded. But her response fell on deaf ears as Nari lay asleep. Alina smiled to herself and as the night grew old; she drifted off, the image of her mother's smile floating through her dreams.

"Morning sleepy head!" Came a cry from above Alina. She opened her eyes to see her mother standing above her smiling, and she spoke up softly.

"Mom? What are you doi-" she said and stopped abruptly as she blushed profusely. "M-Morning Nari," she stammered, "don't mind me, early morning drowsiness." She forced a slight laugh and Nari smiled in return.

"Don't worry little one, I don't look anything like an Absol but I guess you can see anything when you're that tired. It's more like late morning drowsiness." Nari laughed and nodded upwards towards the sun, which sat in the middle of the sky. Calis was no longer at her side and she looked around curiously.

"Where is everyone else? Have they all left?" She asked worriedly, the beds of grass laying matted and flat on the shorter green grass underneath.

"They all went on missions in the Brindle mine. They are working as a team to complete a large number of them so we can head back to Muraha with a good amount of cash." Her smile turned into a pleased grin and she continued. "We'll be able to buy food for everyone once we get back, but for now we should try and catch up to the others in the dungeon. It should still be cleared out if we hurry." Alina nodded and got up out of bed, stretching her limbs and padding off after the Ninetales.

The two wound their way at a slow run through the grass and down the cliff face, the rocky surface providing little traction for Alina's claws. The two ran despite the potential danger as the path looped in and out of the cliff face, sometimes growing dark as the path interrupted the tough stone. When they were close to the bottom they jumped off of the path, Nari having jumped off first, her carefree recklessness pumping a sense of joy and exhilaration through Alina's body as she flung herself from the cliff face. The wind caressed Alina's fur, blowing her top knot away from her eyes. Her tail fur fluttered as she fell to the ground and landed in a crouch, counteracting the impact.

The mouth of a jagged cave lay before her, carved directly into the side of the cliff face. Her friend walked in headfirst, not fearing the potentially dangerous location, though once she considered that the entire group was already inside, it eased her racing heart. The crimson surroundings expanded around her, each menacing barb holding a warning for anyone who wanted to use the walls to maneuver. She took note of her limited mobility in the enclosure and continued after the Ninetales, Nari's tails swaying casually back and forth.

The echoing chatter and short lived cries of battle could be heard from deeper within the dungeon, each floor resonating the sound until it was barely an audible whisper. Nari's footstep were gentle, as her paws had no claws which stood out on them, and she was elegant in her nature. Alina walked behind her, having begun to walk silently due to the familiar presence of the dungeon around her. Nari began to crouch and creep up on the next room, voices more clear than the ones from the floors below finding the duo's ears. Alina followed closely behind Nari, her three tails coming to lay beside Nari's nine as she peeked carefully around the next corner.

A Hitmonchan spoke with two other hooded Pokemon and it took Alina no time to recognize the voice of her former mentor. Sakor sat on a small ledge, which jutted out of the rocky wall, which would have come up to just above the Pokemon's knees. He spoke in a hushed tone and the others listened casually, not seeming to think much of the conversation, despite Sakor's urgent tone.

Nari, not sensing Alina's emotional distress over seeing the Pokemon, decided to continue walking past, quietly ignoring the three before her. Slowly Alina began to shake herself of the shock and she sprung into the room.

"Sakor!" She shouted. "Hey! It's been a while!" The Pokemon whirled around and looked at the she-Absol. She stood tall and proud, despite Sakor's expectation of seeing a crushed Pokemon with no heart or pride. He growled at her and barked out an aggressive response.

"Don't greet me so casually, rogue scum. I, no, _we_ were blessed when you left the guild, but now I have to see you again." Alina stood shocked on the cold stone floor, Nari listening worriedly from behind her friend.

"Y-you what?" She stammered, her past mentor who had been so helpful and often kind, showing signs of complete disgust with her even being there.

"You heard me," he spat, "get out of here before I get even angrier, don't talk to me or come here ever again." Alina watched as a small hint of fear worked its way into Sakor's glare. His confident aggressive facade began to slip as she walked away defeated, the Hitmonchan turning worriedly back to the other Pokemon. As Nari led Alina away comforting her, one of the hooded Pokemon began to speak in a casual tone.

"Don't come to us again for your petty requests. This is the last job we will do for you." The rest of the conversation was lost as the duo continued into another hallway. Small tears welled up inside Alina and she felt them pushing behind her eyes. One of the people she had looked up to for so many years, hated her guts, and never wanted to see her again. Maybe the other guild members felt the same way. Maybe she really could never go back to the guild.

"I don't know what just happened, but he didn't look like a good Pokemon. You shouldn't worry about what Pokemon like him say, they're all bark and no bite." Alina thanked her friend with a nod and she batted her friend's tails with hers. She was probably right after all, Alina thought. Sakor might have just been trying to be cool for his friends, putting her down to show them how much better he was. He probably didn't actually hate her. That had to be it.

They reached the next floors with no trouble, the Pokemon still having been defeated by the larger rogue group. Soon the voices of many Pokemon were upon the two, and they turned the corner to see all of the rogue Pokemon sitting in one of the rooms, eating whatever food they had brought with them to restore health. All looked like they were in fairly good shape, a couple having obviously taken some minor, but not serious damage. Alina perked up at the sight of the Liepard, who was sitting alone on the edge of the group.

"Calis how have things been going? Have you been getting along with everyone?" She asked excitedly, hoping her friend had made some more friends of her own.

"Yes a few of them are very kind, though there are a few others who have been glaring at me all day." Calis flicked her tails annoyedly, turning to point her head in the direction of the obvious offenders. A group of 6 rougher looking Pokemon looked back with clear distaste for the newcomers.

"I'm sure they just don't know what to think of us yet Calis."

"Oh yes," chimed in Nari, "they're always like that, don't take it personally. There are only a couple more like that in the group, most are quite kind, or at least tolerant." She laughed at her own little joke, Calis smiling in response.

"Thank you for the reassurance, though it doesn't bother me much. I know what it's like to be cautious, I was once just like them." She licked her paw and began to clean her ears, more relaxed than she was previously. Alina smiled and nudged the feline, the memory of Sakor flashing through her mind briefly before she shook it off and decided to pretend as if it had never happened. Whatever Sakor had asked them to do was none of her business, and if he was going to be mean, she wanted nothing to do with him either.

The group continued deeper into the cliffside, psychic and rock Pokemon attacking in insignificant numbers. The rogue group easily overpowered the weaker and less numerous Pokemon. There were Pokemon on a couple of the floors which joined the group as they descended through the levels. Now and then, an outlaw would show up and the stronger members of the group would help bring them down before continuing on through the floors. By what Alina estimated to be midday, the group had reached the end of the dungeon.

The final room was a beautiful array of white and red glass, formed by molten sand which had dripped from the ceiling, creating glass stalagmites and stalactites, a blue swirling stone resting in a stalagmite on the floor of the dungeon. It couldn't be moved but, as Alina was soon told, it could help some Pokemon evolve if they used water moves. The Absol watched intently as the swirling colors darted back and forth inside the large transparent glass structure.

One by one the Pokemon teleported out of the dungeon, the sun shining above them, the sky still brightly illuminated as they arrived on the peaceful beach. A group of guards was already waiting for them as they surfaced, having been informed that there was going to be a large scale completion of the dungeon where multiple outlaws would be taken down. The Heracross thanked the Rogue group and took the four outlaws back to Muraha to be taken into custody while the group returned to their resting place from the previous night.

The trip back up the cliff was easiest for the flying Pokemon, who simply took off into the air and soared towards their camp, however Alina's endurance made the trip less treacherous than it could have been. She made a game out of jumping from one ledge to another, instead of walking the path, and she reached a small inlet which provided little shade from the high sun, but allowed for a comfortable resting place. She was alone for the first time since she joined the rogues and it was peaceful to not have the chatter or noise of others around her.

The peaceful air brought swift sleep for her as the ocean breeze ruffled her fur, the day turning to night as she dozed through the afternoon to the early morning.

"What on earth?" Pondered Virizion. Her deputy, the Furfrou, lying dead in front of her den. Sakor walked up from the side, speaking in a hushed tone.

"This is terrible…" He said with feigned shock. "Who would do something like this?" One of the hooded Pokemon fell to the ground next to the two guild members.

"Oh this?" He said in a calm tone. "You have the Zoroark guild to thank for this one." He dodged up into the air as a Leaf Blade cut across the ground in his direction. The Pokemon landed gracefully on the ground, a little farther away this time. "Tsk tsk, so quick to be violent. Have fun playing the calm and collected guildmaster, oh powerful one." He said sarcastically. Before Virizion could react, the Pokemon was gone, into the early morning air just as quickly as he had arrived.

Sakor looked over at Virizion who stood with a harsh grimace on her face. She looked back at Sakor and spoke softly, but firmly.

"We are going to the Zoroark guild, bring all able bodied Pokemon with us. This will not be tolerated." The animosity of the angry guildmaster resonated through the air and made it crack with tension.

"M-maybe we should ask them if it was really them before we go and do anything. Maybe it was Alina and she is plotting against us!"

"She may have been kicked out, but Alina isn't that kind of Pokemon. Don't make ridiculous accusations when they obviously aren't true. I've been on the lookout for Zoroark members ever since the incident with the Lairon. They have been hanging around recently, and last night Sivant said he had seen them around The Grove. I'm sure it was them. We aren't going to take this sitting down."

On his morning shift, an Altaira flew across the coast, scanning for those who he was supposed to deliver messages to. He spotted Alina on the cliff, swooping down before her. His wing beats woke up the sleeping Pokemon, her head lifting slowly from her paws.

"I have a letter for you from one of the Virizion guild members. It seems urgent, so I'm glad I found you." He dropped a letter ungracefully on the ground. "Nice doing business with you," he squawked and fluttered away quickly, continuing with his work for the day.

"Bye Sivant!" Shouted Alina after the large bird Pokemon. She looked at the letter which had been dropped off at her feet, the neat writing creeping around the page, which was sealed with a bit of string. She opened the letter and read the neat print which, upon seeing the signature at the bottom, she realized that the letter was from her mother. The letter read:

My lovely daughter,

I'm worried about things here. There is something very unusual going on between the guilds right now. Virizion has become infuriated after her second in command was killed by an assassin sent by Zoroark's guild. She isn't herself Alina. I'm afraid we are going to go into battle against the Zoroark guild. I hope I can see you again soon.

Love,

Mom

Alina looked puzzledly at the letter, rereading it before coming to understand the meaning behind the written words. All of the guild members were going to go to battle with Zoroark's guild? Alina grew increasingly worried as the childhood memory of the ferocity of the Zoroark guild members flooding her mind. She dashed up the cliff face, her bounds increasing in distance as she raced for the top. She leapt over the rocks edge and landed swiftly on top of the overlook. Calis was sitting cold on the edge of the group, evidently still not wanting to be involved with the other Pokemon.

"Calis," whispered Alina, and she nudged her friend, the sun slowly rising higher into the sky. "Calis something bad is going on in the Virizion guild. We have to go and see what is going on." Calis woke slowly and sat up without making a sound.

"How do you know for sure?" She asked, "I don't want to return there because you have a hunch about-" She stopped as Alina nudged the letter towards her. Calis opened the letter and read it silently, taking in the information before making a decision.

"I've known your mother a long time and she wouldn't say something like this if she didn't think it was very serious. There must be something very important going on, not to mention that the second in command was killed. I do think we should go." She got up and gave the letter back to Alina. A couple of the Rogue Pokemon began to stir and Nari looked up before Alina could walk off.

"Where are you going Alina?" She asked innocently.

"I'm sorry but there is something I have to do."

"Is it about yesterday?" She asked worriedly. Alina thought for a moment. Sakor was talking to someone just the other day about having them do a job for him. That same evening assassins had come to kill the second in command of the Virizion guild. But her mother had said that the assassin was sent by the Zoroark guild, so surely it had nothing to do with Sakor. He wasn't that bad of a Pokemon, was he?

"N-no I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with that. I'll be back, ok?"

"Alright, be careful," came a soft response as she dashed away after her feline friend. Alina came to run beside Calis as they wound their way North towards the Grove. The passing minutes felt like years as they pelted in the direction of their old home. The sun rose increasingly farther into the sky as time went on. The landscape began to change from the normally grassy fields, to a more dense forest. The ground became hard and rough under Alina's pounding paws as she continued to race towards her former guild.

By the time they reached The Grove, it was just past midday, Pokemon of all kinds milling frantically around the clearing, which Alina could see through the foliage of her current hiding place. An aerial view of The Grove showed that all of the adventurers, including her parents, were moving back and forth, gathering supplies and items.

"Well it's a good thing they haven't left yet, I suppose," said Calis, "but it does look like they are preparing for battle."

"If it really was the Zoroark guild, then they will be ready for them. You know how big the Zoroark guild is! They have no chance!"

"Our guild has very strong fighters in it, and though you and I are gone, there are still many capable adventurers in the group." Alina watched as her graceful mother moved back and forth, brushing up against her harsher and colder father as they continued to assist in the preparations.

"We should go try and talk them out of it. I'm sure Virizion knows that they don't have much of a chance of teaching them a lesson, plus…" She trailed off. "Plus they might kill our guild members! Our friends!" She looked hopefully at Calis, knowing that there was probably nothing they could do after being told to stay out.

"There is nothing we could do to dissuade them. You know that." She replied, sadly. "All we can do is wait and see what happens. If there is an opportunity for us to help, I will gladly take it, but until then we have to wait."

The next hours passed slowly, the time of night drawing nearer. The evening grew cold, as it had been doing for the past couple of days. Alina and Calis concluded that they were going to go on a night raid to allow for more of a surprise tactic, however when they left prematurely, as the sun was about to set, they wondered if that was really the case. The two of them jumped down from their resting place in the tree and waited for the adventurers to leave The Grove before following from far behind them.

The sun sank lower in the sky, the clouds turning a reddish hue as time ticked by. The guild members moved quickly, heading northeast towards the Zoroark guild's tree. The large, natural growth rose high up into the sky and the Virizion guild members gathered around the perimeter of the base in the brush, just outside the visible range of those belonging to the other guild.

"Hey," one of them said nervously. "Did you just see something move over there?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Aren," responded his friend, who was far more lax. "Nobody would be there at this time of night. What are you even worried about?" After the Pokemon had finished speaking, Virizion lept out of the brush, followed by her guild members. The Pokemon roared as they fell upon the defending guild, knocking down the surprised guild members with ease. Cries rang out across the ground as all of the Zoroark Pokemon began descending from higher in the tree. Quickly, the Virizion guild members became outnumbered.

"Remember the plan!" Shouted Sakor, who was decimating a dark Pokemon with his fighting type moves. Alina watched as her mother and father fought three Pokemon, side by side. They wound around each other, twisting and turning, working together in perfect harmony. Alina watched in awe as the couple fought in tandem, knowing how the other moved and how to coordinate, thanks to years of experience.

Tens of Zoroark guild Pokemon fell from the tree above, some dive bombing the Virizion guild with flying type moves, while others fought hard on the ground. Virizion's grass moves were ripping through the ranks of defending Pokemon, her Leaf Blade dancing around her as she used other moves simultaneously. Zoroark, seeing the chaos below him, jumped out of the tree and fell gracefully to the forest floor in front of Virizion, catching her Leaf Blade in his clawed fist and ripping it in half he spoke to her.

"I never did like you much Virizion, but this is really crossing the line." He turned away from her and roared to his guild members. "Stand for none of this! Take them down! Show no mercy!"

"You are a merciless ruler over a toxic group of Pokemon. I'm glad I'm the someone who is finally standing up to you." She slammed her head into the Pokemon, but he grabbed on, raking her neck with his claws before pushing her away and skidding across the ground on his feet. Zoroark breathed heavily as Virizion stared him down, blood dripping down her green pelt.

Zoroark roared as he dashed in the direction of Virizion, only to side step and sweep her legs out from underneath her. A swift kick upwards set the green Pokemon spinning sideways. Virizion skidded to a stop near the base of the tree, charging towards her adversary, using Giga Drain on the unsuspecting Pokemon, as he didn't anticipate the speed of her Quick Attack being so high after being kicked like that. The health of Zoroark diminished greatly as that of Virizion increased. Her liveliness returned as her wounds healed themselves, due to the new found energy she had sapped.

The battle of the adventurers roared around them, the number of adventurers in the Virizion guild outnumbered by those of Zoroarks guild two to one, at least.

"Virizion we can't hold out much longer. There are just too many!" Yelled one of the guild members, backing up slightly as the two Pokemon in front of it slashed at it's face aggressively. Alina began to feel fear rise in her chest as one of her former Guild members fell to the ground unconscious, their breathing obviously raged and laboured. She didn't want to see anyone die. It sounded like one had died already, there should be no more.

"Fall back!" Yelled Virizion as she slashed at Zoroark with multiple Leaf Blades, inflicting heavy damage on the Pokemon as it tried to fend off the onslaught.

"Don't let them escape!" Roared Zoroark in response, and the chase began. The Virizion guild members having lost their confident composure raced back towards their own guild, the Zoroark members following close behind them. Alina and Calis raced after the shifting battle, Virizion knocking Zoroark to the side before bounding swiftly after the duo.

"I need your help," she shouted as the three of them ran through the forest, "I don't know what difference it will make, but we need all the help we can get. I can't promise anything, but our thanks for the time being."

"That is enough to help out an old friend" replied Calis happily and she dashed past the larger Pokemon. Alina followed her friend's lead and jumped into the battle, coming in behind the Zoroark members, which separated them from the rest of their previous guild. Calis jumped elegantly onto the back of one of the Zoroark guild members and dug in her claws, raking down the back of the defendant. The Pokemon fell to the ground and writhed in pain as it skidded to a stop. Calis moved on to the next Pokemon as Alina arrived on the scene. Rain began to fall heavily from the sky as the battle continued.

Alina's mother and father were continuing to fight, slowly being overwhelmed as the Zoroark guild's Pokemon enclosed on them. Alina watched in horror as a Pokemon's claw dug deep into her father's eye and he roared in pain, biting the attacker with such force that it flinched and ran yelping behind the other guild members. Angrily the attackers grew increasingly intense with their attacks and began doing serious damage to her parents.

Alina felt the claws of a Pokemon on her back and she fell to the ground. A Zorua rolled off of her and looked into her blue eyes with a gaze full of absolute contempt.

"I thought you got kicked out of this guild you freak. What brings you back? Enjoy ruining other people's fun so much?" He lashed out at her with his claws, but she dodged over him, twisting in the air so she landed facing his back. He whirled around, doubt glimmering in his red eyes before he attacked once again, using Feint Attack against the agile Absol. She dodged upwards, but was met with a swift blow to her head which, sent her careening back towards the ground. She struggled off the ground and used Quick Attack on the smaller Zorua. As expected, he dodged to the side and she caught him with her horn.

The breath flew out of the Zorua's lungs as he fell to the ground and Alina bit onto the body of the smaller Pokemon. She infused darkness into the bite, treating him like a dungeon Pokemon, and throwing him to the side as he bounced along the ground. Alina growled at the now heavily wounded black Pokemon before her. He grinned back at her through the pain.

"You think you're so hot, huh? Getting lucky and catching me with your horn? It won't happen again!" He lunged at Alina, preparing for a Fury Swipe, but she sidestepped him and pinned him to the ground with her clawed foot, the long black talons digging into the creature's side.

"Don't confuse me with the same Pokemon you met years ago. While you were busy being cocky in your strength, I was actually getting stronger." The Zorua tried to push itself up off the ground, but she pressed it back down harder than before. "Don't ever face me again." She spat and spun, smashing her tails into the Pokemon. The Zorua squealed and ran off into the woods back towards his Guild.

Fear gripped Alina as she spun back around to see her parents on the ground, bloodied and being torn at by various Pokemon. The guild members were falling one by one, her mother and father already lifeless on the ground. Alina cried out in horror and ran headfirst into the three Pokemon tearing at her family. In a blind rage she slammed her horn into the first poochyena. The hard appendage dug into the tough pelt down to its base before she threw the creature roughly to the ground, taking her horn out of the bleeding Pokemon. The two others turned on her, a Marowak brandishing its bone and a Sableye lashing out with its claws.

In fear for her mother, anger over the battle, and rage of the battle she cried out desperately for her mother. The feeling of helpless overflowing emotion consumed her body as she flailed about angrily, her elegant fighting style falling away as she attempted to slash at the two Pokemon. The Marowak smashed her to the ground with his bone and held her down as the Sableye raked her back with his claws. Alina cried out in emotional and physical pain as her mind faded and went black.

Pokemon turned as the unusual Absol on the ground burst into an undying source of powerful flames, which leapt high into the sky. The wailing of the she-Absol could be heard over the crack of the flames as they sparked around her. She launched herself blindly at the Sableye and flames leapt in her jaws as she bit down, fire and darkness flowing into the Pokemon before it erupted into screams of its own. Alina shook it back and forth, it's body no more than a small doll in her powerful jaws. She threw it to the ground in a cascade of flames.

Saliva flew from her mouth as she roared and sprang at the next Pokemon who came into view. The Marowak turned and evaded the blind lunge as fear rose in all of the attacking Pokemon's hearts. A demon had appeared on the battlefield before them.

"Attack her!" Shouted Zoroark, who had just left Virizion on the side of the battlefield. He flew through the air and intercepted Alina head on, his claws digging into her sides as he raked the skin off of her body. Her cries rang out as she sank down in pain, the lack of control of her actions growing more intense as she jumped into the air, blood and fire leaping out in all directions. She was met again with a harsh blow, this time from behind, as Zoroark slashed her to the ground. Alina's flames sputtered in the rain and went out as she lay on the wet bloodied ground.

"We are done here," roared Zoroark. "We have won this battle!" Cheers and whooping could be heard as the Zoroark Pokemon raced off back towards their Guild's building, the Pokemon grabbing their fallen comrade and leaving those who were still standing at The Grove to clean up the mess that had been made. Virizion limped back to The Grove's center and laid down next to the fallen parents of Alina, as well as the Zigzagoon, an Aipom, and Floatzel.

Alina's conscience fluttered and she looked over at her fallen mother. The tears running down her face were masked by the pouring rain, as her body igniting briefly before sputtering out again. She crawled over and rested her head on her mother's side, crying into her cold fur as steam rose off her body. Alina continued to ignite and go out again in the rain, periodically lighting the tragic scene as everyone sat in shock. Unable to believe what had happened.

Alina woke up to the sound of Pokemon walking around the clearing of The Grove. The fresh morning air filled her lungs as she picked her head up off of her mother's side. The rain and tears matted her fur and she rested sleekly on her haunches, waking up groggily from the emotional and tumultuous evening before.

"Alina, you're up," came a voice, Virizion calling out to her from her position on the Pinnacle Rock. She lept down to stand beside Alina and the Absol looked up at her with worry in her eyes.

"How did this happen? Why would you attack them?" Alina began to cry. "If you hadn't been out of control and angry my mom would still be alive!" She looked down at the ground, Calis coming to rub up against Alina as she shook with sobs. Small balls of flame leapt from Alina's fur as she shook, the uncontrollable warmth inside her finding its way out through her emotion.

"Alina, you might not remember this," said Virizion, "but you killed a Pokemon last night." Alina stopped crying and looked in shock back up at Virizion. "I watched as you lost control of yourself and bit the life out of him. I know this may be shocking. Zoroark guild members, as you know, also killed many. They killed your parents, but Zoroark has been covering up murders for years. He will make the knowledge public that you killed someone and you will probably be considered an official outlaw in the land." Alina was taken aback by the information but, the feeling of having to turn away from her friends and family was not new to her.

"W-where are Ren and Kori?" Alina asked worriedly, not having seen them since she arrived.

"They were out on an expedition, they are supposed to be back around now, but they won't have known anything more than rumors, which have inevitably spread to Muraha. Please let them know what happened if you could. I would rather you tell Ren than anyone else." Virizion looked at the ground. "Sorry this is so sudden," she said quietly, her stoic composure fading for a moment before she sprang back up onto the rock above.

Alina rested against Calis, her friend supporting her, the warm Absol permeating the cold morning. Alina's breath sparkled in the early light as it drifted from her mouth, up into the air. The water crystals swirled and danced in the air before dispersing into the sky. The two Pokemon waited there as the dew on the grass turned to ice, the morning growing even colder as clouds covered the sky. Two small Pokemon poked their heads cheerfully over the hill and upon seeing Alina with Calis, sitting beneath the Pinnacle rock they ran over.

"Alina!" Shouted Kori, her uncontained joy showing in the excited tone. "What are you doing here? It's been so long! Oh, how good it is to see you again." The Eevee pressed up against Alina, who wrapped her tails around her friend in response. Kori felt the unbelievable warmth of her friend and stepped back to look at her friend again. "Come to think of it, your fur has changed hasn't it? Your tails didn't used to be gray like that, did they?" Alina looked down at her tails, wondering what her friend had meant. The three tails had grown a dark grey at the tip, fading back into the pure white of her body about a third of the way up.

"It's lovely to see you too," she said in response, "I guess my fur is just changing as I'm getting older." She laughed nervously, noting that she should go wash off the burnt look later when she had the chance. "I'm here because a lot has happened in the last day. While you were gone, Zoroark's guild sent an assassin to kill the second in command here in Virizion's guild. When Virizion found out, she ordered everyone to go to battle, and that's when it went downhill." Ren looked around at The Grove, noticing the marred ground and bloody stains on the surrounding scenery.

"What happened here?" He asked worriedly, "is everyone alright?" He looked back to his sister who was gazing down at the ground, her eyes giving away the sadness in her heart.

"Ren, they-" she paused to try and regain her composure, to no avail, "they killed mom and dad," she sobbed, letting her tears fall to the ground beneath her nose. Ren looked down, his cheery attitude erased completely by the information. "I tried to save them. I wasn't strong enough. I was helpless." Her tears grew more numerous as she let the blame for her parent's death fall on her shoulders.

"Hey now…" said Ren, looking over at his distraught sister. "If there was nothing you could have done, don't blame yourself," he looked down at the ground, "it's not what they would have wanted." Kori looked at her two friends with concern, each of their pained and emotional minds touching hers. She nuzzled both of them and the three sat together in the shallow sunlight, though it did little to break the freezing cold which had lingered since the night before. Virizion came over to the group, knowing the information that had just been given out, and kindly nudged the Absol.

"I suggest you gather what you need while you still can. The day is still fresh, and wanted posters will not be updated until midday. Hurry and go to Muraha, find out what you can, and grab what you will want. It can't say it'll be easy." Virizion paused for an answer and the Absol nodded.

"Thanks Virizion, for everything. I guess this is goodbye." She looked over at Ren and Kori, who were confused by the idea of Alina being on a wanted poster. She decided it would be better if they didn't know and she gave each of them a hug before starting on her way to Muraha.

"Take care!" Yelled Kori, as she looked back at The Grove for what might be the last time. Calis was approaching her but Alina shook her head. She walked back to Calis and spoke kindly to her.

"Calis, you are the best friend I have ever had. I hate to leave you like this, but I have caused you enough trouble."

"Is this really what you want?" She replied.

"It doesn't have to be what I want," said Alina, "it's best for everyone. Thank you for being there for me."

"You're welcome. You were a beautiful student and an even better friend. I'm sorry you had to go through this." She hugged her friend tightly. "Come back sometime, won't you?"

"Of course." Alina turned and with a smile, she continued on the path, leaving her old life behind.


End file.
